Honestly, if you missed the golden era of VH1 reality TV, you missed a very specific kind of magic. We aren't talking about the manufactured "influencer" drama of 2026. We're talking about the early 2010s, where the stakes felt higher because the names involved were legendary. At the center of that whirlwind was the Nicole Murphy TV show—officially titled Hollywood Exes—and it was way more than just a voyeuristic look at big bank accounts.
Most people remember Nicole Murphy primarily as Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife. That's a heavy shadow to walk out of. But when Hollywood Exes premiered in 2012, it flipped the script. It wasn't about being "the ex of." It was about what happens when the red carpet rolled up and these women had to figure out who they actually were.
What Actually Happened on Hollywood Exes?
The show ran for three seasons, ending around 2014, but it feels like it’s been lived in by fans forever. Nicole Murphy wasn't just a cast member; she was an executive producer. That’s a key detail people overlook. She had skin in the game. Alongside her were women like Sheree Fletcher (Will Smith’s ex), Mayte Garcia (Prince’s ex), and Andrea Kelly (R. Kelly’s ex).
They called themselves a "sisterhood," and for once in reality TV, it didn’t feel like a marketing buzzword.
The drama was real but felt grounded. You’d see Nicole navigating the complexities of raising five kids while trying to maintain a modeling career that she’d started at 13. She wasn't some damsel in distress. She was a woman who had transitioned from walking runways for Chanel and Valentino in Paris to being the matriarch of a Hollywood dynasty, and then suddenly, she was single again.
The Michael Strahan "Ghost" Factor
One of the funniest things looking back at the Nicole Murphy TV show era was the presence—or lack thereof—of Michael Strahan. At the time, Nicole was engaged to the NFL star-turned-host. But if you watch the show, he’s barely there.
Nicole was incredibly protective of that relationship. She once mentioned in an interview with theJasmineBRAND that she didn't feel the need to put her private romance front and center for the cameras. It was a rare move for a reality star. Usually, everyone is fighting for airtime, but Nicole knew where to draw the line. It gave her an air of mystery that the other ladies didn't quite have.
The Business of Being Nicole Murphy
If you think her TV career stopped when Hollywood Exes was canceled, you haven’t been paying attention. Nicole used that platform as a massive springboard. She didn't want to just be a "personality." She wanted to be a brand.
By 2026, her entrepreneurial footprint is everywhere. She launched yFOY, a skincare line that actually grew out of her own struggle with adult acne in her 30s. Then there was FLP (Friendship, Love and Peace), her jewelry line.
She also hosted Global Beauty Masters, a reality competition show that leaned back into her roots in the fashion world. She wasn't just sitting around waiting for a divorce check. In fact, she famously lost a huge chunk of her $15 million divorce settlement—about $7 million—to a fraudster named Troy Stratos.
That would have broken most people.
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Instead, she went back to work. She took the reality TV checks, the hosting gigs, and the fitness branding and rebuilt. That’s the "actionable" part of her story that most fans find inspiring. It’s a lesson in resilience. When the money goes, the work ethic has to stay.
Why We Are Still Talking About It
There’s a reason Hollywood Exes: Reunited happened a few years back. People are nostalgic for authenticity. In the Nicole Murphy TV show, you saw her deal with the death of her father. You saw her navigate the "ghetto brunch" fights and the Hawaii trips that went south.
But mostly, you saw a woman in her 40s and 50s refusing to be invisible.
The 2026 Context
Right now, in 2026, we are seeing a massive resurgence in "Legacy Reality" stars. Nicole Murphy fits this perfectly because she’s maintained her relevance through fitness and wellness. She’s nearly 60 now, and she looks better than most 20-year-olds, which has turned her social media into a powerhouse for her skincare and fitness routines.
She isn't just "Eddie's ex" anymore. She is the blueprint for the "Pivot."
The Real Takeaway from Her TV Journey
If you're looking to dive back into her filmography or her TV spots, don't just look for the gossip. Look for the business moves.
- Diversification: She never stuck to one thing. Jewelry, wine (she had a Moscato line with Red Styxx), skincare, and acting.
- Privacy as Power: She proved you can be on a reality show without selling every single piece of your soul.
- Bouncing Back: Losing millions is a nightmare. Using a TV show to help recover those losses is a masterclass in PR and financial recovery.
If you want to follow in her footsteps or just understand why she’s still a fixture in the headlines, start by looking at how she handled the Hollywood Exes era. She used the camera; she didn't let the camera use her.
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Practical Next Steps
If you're interested in the lifestyle Nicole Murphy built after her TV show, your best bet is to check out her yFOY skincare tutorials. They offer a more "behind-the-scenes" look at her daily life than the old VH1 episodes ever did. You can also track down the Hollywood Exes: Reunited special on streaming platforms to see how the group's dynamics shifted a decade after the original cameras stopped rolling.