Inside Eddie Murphy’s ‘Sturdy Bond’ with His 10 Youngsters

Even though 4 a long time have handed since Eddie Murphy filmed the primary Beverly Hills Cop, the famed actor didn’t miss a step in reprising his position as Axel Foley.

“It was a tough one,” the 63-year-old celebrity instructed PEOPLE of filming Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (streaming July 3 on Netflix). “I did Axel Foley once I was in my 20s. I’m not in my 20s anymore.” 

The fourth installment within the action-packed Beverly Hills Cop franchise, directed by Mark Molloy and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, sees the return of Murphy because the street-wise Detroit cop pursuing justice in Los Angeles. Becoming a member of him onscreen are solid members from the 1984 unique, Decide Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot, plus newcomers together with Kevin Bacon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Taylour Paige.

The very first thing Murphy mentioned to Reinhold and Ashton was, “Properly, not less than we nonetheless resemble our characters,” Reinhold, 67, recalled to PEOPLE. “Which I assumed was an awesome opening line.”

The three actors’ reunion befell two blocks away from a key scene within the unique Beverly Hills Cop, added Reinhold. “It was like a band you get collectively and say, ‘Rattling. That is nonetheless good.’ It was type of easy, and there was a really robust chemistry between the three of us. We felt like we had a number of juice left, like positively, it is not time for Grumpy Outdated Beverly Hills Cops but.”

And Murphy was on the prime of his sport again within the renegade cop’s sneakers, in response to Reinhold. “It was actually, actually so enjoyable to look at him play Axel once more. That was my favourite spot on this film… He actually does not disappoint.”

The Dreamgirls Oscar nominee, a father of 10, “will be shy and quiet,” shared Reinhold. However as “a household man at coronary heart,” Murphy opened up upon assembly Reinhold’s daughter Haley Rose, who he shares with spouse Amy. “Eddie was thrilled to see that for us and was actually, actually candy. I noticed his love for teenagers in that. He is loopy about his children and his household.”

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A photographer who has labored with Murphy equally instructed PEOPLE that the Buying and selling Locations star “was tremendous enthusiastic and continuously made everybody snort” on the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F set. However his life mainly revolves round household, together with Paige Butcher, his fiancée since 2018 who shares daughter Izzy Oona Murphy and son Max Charles with him. (Murphy additionally shares his eldest child with ex-girlfriend Paulette McNeely; 5 kids with Nicole Mitchell, to whom he was married from 1993 to 2006; and a daughter with Melanie Brown, higher often called Mel B from the Spice Women.)

The “nice dad,” mentioned the supply, “has a robust bond together with his kids… Through the years, he prioritized spending time with them regardless of a busy profession. He lives a reasonably quiet life in Los Angeles. He has a number of favourite eating places and enjoys attending Lakers video games together with his household. He is very a lot a homebody although.”

In 2021, Murphy talked about how prioritizing household meant “the entire thought of being on the market and doing three films a yr” is “over” for him. “I like fatherhood,” he mentioned on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast. “I’m so blessed with my children… My children are so nice, regular individuals — and no one is just like the Hollywood jerk child.”

As he instructed Kelly Clarkson on her speak present on June 27, he solely agreed to do Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F as soon as he was sure it will be price it. “I simply wished all the pieces to be proper,” he mentioned. “I’m not doing anymore films until all the pieces is correct, particularly one thing like Beverly Hills Cop. As a result of this film type of began that style, the action-comedy.”

For Bruckheimer, 80, Murphy “will get higher” because the years go by. “He is funnier, and he is on prime of his sport, as he all the time is. He is a really dedicated artist.”

In “each scene” of Axel F, the producer instructed PEOPLE, “he injects one thing that is good. He is anyone you die to work with. It is unlucky it took this lengthy to get him again — however that is our fault, not his!”

Murphy has additionally not too long ago appeared within the comedy movies Sweet Cane Lane and You Individuals, and reportedly has Shrek 5 and an adaptation of The Pink Panther within the works. 

The celebrity comic will proceed to stability such initiatives together with his thriving house life — as he did when he had the assist of Butcher, 44, in addition to daughters Bria, 34, Shayne Audra, 29, and Bella, 22, on the world premiere of the most recent Beverly Hills Cop on June 20. (Bria and her husband, Michael Xavier, additionally made Axel F a household affair, showing within the movie as cops who arrest Axel!)

“That is his pleasure, to have his buddies and his household round him,” Reinhold instructed PEOPLE. “That is the place he is at. That is what he actually likes.”