Eddie Murphy has been well-known lengthy sufficient that even his restraint reads as authority — however every so often, another person tells a narrative that explains why his identify nonetheless carries authority far past field workplace numbers.
That occurred when Man Torry shared his expertise filming “Life,” providing a behind-the-scenes look that reframed the film not as a nostalgic comedy, however as a office the place energy, race, and safety had been consistently in play.
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Torry shared the story throughout a latest look on the “TFU Podcast” with AD Dolphin and Alejandro G., easing into the dialog earlier than revealing what actually stayed with him from the 1999 movie’s manufacturing.
“Man, Eddie Murphy was searching for brothers in that movie. There was some bulls—t occurring behind the scenes, some racist s—t. And Eddie Murphy was checking mom—kers proper then and there, like, ‘OK, no, we ain’t permitting this on this set.’”
The tales escalated rapidly. Torry described strolling into the barracks the place they slept throughout filming and seeing one thing that stopped him chilly on his first day on set.
“We got here in a single morning, and there was a stick determine with a noose neck hanging in there that one of many crew had put in there,” he revealed, to which the host responded, “It’s a Black movie?”
“Black movie however among the crew was white,” Torry added.
Do you know? Of all the flicks on which Eddie Murphy and make-up artist Rick Baker collaborated, Life (1999) is the one one the place Murphy didn’t play multiple character. Baker solely used the make-up to age Murphy’s character on this film. pic.twitter.com/O0odnCa3Ej
— Blackout Cinema (@Blackoutcinema1) January 7, 2026
When requested whether or not the individual accountable was ever recognized, Torry’s reply was easy: no. Murphy dealt with different moments that crossed the road in actual time, as Torry recounted a scene involving pickaxes when a white assistant director tried to appropriate a Black background performer. He claims Murphy overheard it and exploded.
“Motherf—ker, wait a minute. What? You gonna inform a n—ga methods to pickaxe?” Torry recalled. The message landed. “And the following day, that man was gone. He wasn’t there no extra.”
Acts like this, the comedian says, made him respect the previous “SNL” forged member much more, writing, “Particularly my technology, that’s our hero. As a comic, for positive. He’s on most comedians of my technology’s comedy Mount Rushmore.”
Man Torry talks in regards to the forged of the, ‘Life’ film discovering a stick determine with a noose round its neck, from a member of the filming crew and the way Eddie Murphy dealt with racism from the movie crew, whereas on the set of the film pic.twitter.com/DXrviuBeVA
— JaValle (@JaValle) January 21, 2026
When the podcast clip circulated on Instagram, the response felt much less like shock and extra like delayed affirmation.
“So, we’re simply now listening to this and the film ‘Life’ has been out for 27 years?” DJ Quik wrote.
“Salute Eddie Murphy!!” one other commenter added.
Others had been extra direct. “Love to listen to Eddie wasn’t permitting that s—t,” one individual wrote.
One other drew a tough line: “That’s why I listening to NO Eddie Slander. None in any respect.”
One remaining remark summed it up: “Man in the event you take a look at Eddie’s resume…he been placing on for the tradition for many years!”
As one of the vital standard film stars in Hollywood, Murphy maintains a status for being skilled on set. And whereas tales like this present how he additionally units the tone of the manufacturing, he himself has shared tales about set etiquette and camaraderie.
In a 2025 interview reflecting on filming “Dreamgirls,” Murphy shared a quiet backstage alternate between Beyoncé and Jennifer Hudson.
“Neither one among them know that I do know this,” Murphy said. “They had been on stage. Jennifer was new in present enterprise and he or she had, I suppose a finger… was ashy, and he or she was licking her fingers and getting the ash like that. Beyoncé grabbed her and stated, ‘Ooh lady, don’t try this. I’ll get you some cream.’ And it was quiet between the 2 of them, however I noticed it.”
Taken collectively, the “Life” recollection and the “Dreamgirls’ reminiscence sketch the identical sample: Murphy watching intently, intervening selectively, and understanding when presence mattered greater than efficiency. He by no means positioned himself as a spokesperson, however he didn’t look away both.
That strategy mirrors the ecosystem Torry helped construct for himself offscreen. Lengthy earlier than “range pipelines” turned business language, he launched Phat Tuesdays at The Comedy Retailer, creating area for Black comedians to work with out translating themselves. The platform didn’t simply showcase expertise — it compelled the business to observe.
Torry has all the time framed that period as collective, not particular person. His “Life” story lands the identical approach. It isn’t about canonizing Eddie Murphy. It’s about documenting how energy functioned when somebody selected to make use of it with out asking for applause.
