Speaking to Entertainment Weekly while promoting his Netflix documentary Being Eddie, Murphy explained that he left the ceremony early because he didn’t want to spend the night being treated with sympathy.
Murphy earned his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as James “Thunder” Early in Dreamgirls, where he starred alongside Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Hudson.
The category was packed with strong performances. Murphy lost the award to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine. Murphy applauded politely when Arkin’s name was announced, but he didn’t stay for the rest of the show — which fueled rumors that he was upset.
Murphy says that wasn’t the case at all.
“What happened was I lost, and people kept coming over and patting me on the shoulder,” he said. “Then Clint Eastwood came and rubbed my shoulder. I thought, ‘No, I’m not going to be the sympathy guy all night.’ So I left.”
According to Murphy, he had already accepted the loss before the ceremony even happened. Months earlier, he watched Little Miss Sunshine at a private screening hosted by Jeff Katzenberg.
“I watched Alan Arkin and said, ‘That performance could steal somebody’s Oscar,’” Murphy recalled. “And that’s exactly what happened.”
Murphy made it clear that he believes Arkin fully deserved the award, calling him “hysterically funny” and praising his long career. He also said Oscar wins are about more than just one performance.
“Winning an Oscar isn’t science,” Murphy explained. “There’s campaigning, your past work, what people think they owe you — all of that plays a part.”
In Being Eddie, Murphy admits losing awards can still be frustrating, mostly because he doesn’t enjoy attending ceremonies in the first place.
“They make me get dressed, come all the way down there, and I lose,” he joked. “I could’ve lost at home.”
Murphy also reflected on a moment from the 1988 Oscars, when he spoke openly about the lack of recognition for Black performers. At the time, only three Black actors had ever won Oscars.
“I’ll probably never win an Oscar for saying this,” he said then, “but Black people will not bring up the rear anymore.”
While Murphy never took home an Oscar for Dreamgirls, he says he has no bitterness — just honesty about how the night really felt.
Being Eddie is streaming on Netflix now.
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