Time and again, celebrities who began their careers as child stars have opened up about the challenges of navigating fame and the pressures of Hollywood from a young age. Eddie Murphy, for example, was only 19 when he joined Saturday Night Live in 1980.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Murphy reflected on how easy it was to get lured to drugs at the time and place he was in back then, and how grateful he is for avoiding that path. Moreover, it was Robin Williams who once offered him the good.
How Eddie Murphy Dodged a Dangerous Offer from Robin Williams and John Belushi
Eddie Murphy skyrocketed to fame as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984 and soon became a movie icon with hits like 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop.
But when he just started out, once, while hanging out at a bar, both Robin Williams and John Belushi offered him drugs. However, Murphy wasn’t interested. In a chat with The New York Times, he revealed,
I remember I was 19, I went to the Blues Bar, It was me, Belushi, and Robin Williams. They start doing coke, and I was like, ‘No, I’m cool.’ I wasn’t taking some moral stance. I just wasn’t interested in it. To not have the desire or the curiosity, I’d say that’s providence. God was looking over me in that moment.
But that wasn’t all, Murphy felt a deep sense of responsibility as a young Black man in mainstream media. He knew the path ahead of him would be particularly tough for him, and he was determined not to jeopardize his future. As he put it, he understood what was at stake. He explained,
When you get famous really young, especially a Black artist, it’s like living in a minefield, Any moment something could happen that can undo everything. It was like, all of this stuff is going on, and I’m totally oblivious. Now, at this age, I can look back and be like, ‘Wow, I came through a minefield for 35 years.’
And it is safe to say, that consideration and careful decision-making paid off brilliantly. Murphy is now a major Hollywood icon and is grateful for the path that got him to this point.
Robin Williams’ Complicated Struggle with Addiction
Despite Robin Williams’ cheerful and lively persona on camera, there was a much darker side to his life behind the scenes. Williams struggled with addiction for many years, a battle that those close to him knew all too well. His friends often spoke about how dependent he had become on substances, to the point where performing without them seemed impossible.
It wasn’t until two pivotal moments that Williams found the strength to make a change. The tragic death of his friend John Belushi in 1982 was a wake-up call, shaking him to his core. Just a year later, in 1983, the birth of his first son gave him a renewed sense of purpose and the push he needed. According to his close friend Stanley Wilson, these life-altering events motivated Williams to quit drugs “cold turkey” and commit to a healthier path.
Williams told People,
Cocaine for me was a place to hide. Most people get hyper on coke. It slowed me down.–The Belushi tragedy was frightening, His death scared a whole group of show-business people. It caused a big exodus from drugs. And for me, there was the baby coming. I knew I couldn’t be a father and live that sort of life.
After 20 years of sobriety, Williams unfortunately relapsed in 2006 but put immense effort into becoming sober again. Despite his determination and struggle, he tragically died by suicide in 2014.
