People have been whispering about Eddie Murphy's health for years. It’s one of those things that happens when you’re a legend who stays relatively private. You step out on a red carpet looking a little tired, or maybe you don't do an interview for a while, and suddenly the internet is convinced you're battling some secret, terminal illness.
The short answer? Eddie Murphy does not have a life-threatening physical disease. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been dealing with something significant. Honestly, the real story is much more interesting than the tabloid clickbait. It’s about a lifelong struggle that he finally put a name to—and it isn’t cancer, it isn't Huntington’s, and it definitely isn't any of the other wild theories floating around TikTok.
The OCD Revelation in Being Eddie
If you've been searching for "what disease does Eddie Murphy have," you’re likely seeing bits and pieces of his 2025 Netflix documentary, Being Eddie. In a move that shocked a lot of his old-school fans, the 64-year-old comedian got incredibly raw about his mental health.
He didn't use the word "disease" in a clinical, scary way. Instead, he described a lifelong battle with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
For Eddie, it wasn't about washing his hands or being neat. It was about the stove. As a kid growing up in New York, he was terrified of the gas. He’d get into bed, lie there for five minutes, and then the "what if" would hit him. What if the stove is on?
He’d get up, check the knobs, go back to bed. Five minutes later? He was back in the kitchen. He admitted in the documentary that this would go on for an hour every single night. His mom didn't know. His friends didn't know. He just thought he was "weird."
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Why people got confused
The confusion often stems from two places:
- His brother, Charlie Murphy: Many people conflate Eddie’s health with his brother Charlie’s tragic passing from leukemia in 2017.
- The "Dr. Eddie Murphy" mix-up: There is a well-known psychologist in Ireland named Dr. Eddie Murphy who writes frequently about Huntington’s Disease and Parkinson’s. Google’s algorithm sometimes mixes up the celebrity with the doctor, leading to those scary-looking headlines.
How He "Stopped" the Symptoms (Sorta)
The way Eddie talks about his OCD is very... Eddie. He saw a news report about the disorder as a teenager and realized, "Oh, that’s what I’m doing."
But instead of seeking therapy (which wasn't exactly the vibe in 1970s Brooklyn), he decided to bully himself out of it. He told himself, "I ain't got no mental illness," and literally forced himself to stop the repetitive checking.
Does it still affect him? Yeah. He admitted he still checks the gas every night. But now, if he catches himself trying to do it a second time, he literally talks to himself. He’ll say, "No, you're not starting this again. Go to bed."
It’s a fascinating look at how one of the funniest men on earth manages a brain that is constantly looking for patterns and problems. He actually credits his "acute sense of proportion" (a byproduct of his OCD-type focus) for his ability to spot what’s funny before anyone else does.
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Recent Health Scares and SNL50
Aside from the OCD, Eddie has stayed remarkably healthy for a guy who has been in the spotlight since he was 19. He doesn't drink. He doesn't smoke. He’s famously "boring" when it comes to the typical Hollywood vices.
However, he did have a brief run-in with COVID-19 in early 2025.
It happened at the massive Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary special. If you remember that event, it was a revolving door of legends hugging and shouting. Eddie joked later that they were all basically "giving each other COVID." He spent a few days coughing and laid up, but he bounced back quickly.
No Funeral? The Morbid Rumor
You might have seen headlines claiming Eddie is "preparing for the end." This started because of an interview during the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F press tour.
Eddie mentioned he has told his family he never wants a funeral. > "I’m going to die like everyone else," he told reporter Kevin McCarthy. "But they know not to... no funeral. Just let me go out quietly."
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This wasn't a deathbed confession. It was just a guy who hates the idea of people crying over a coffin. He even joked that if they did have a service, they should play the Beverly Hills Cop theme song just to make everyone smile while they bury him.
What You Should Actually Know
If you’re worried about Axel Foley, don’t be. The man is in great shape, largely because he’s avoided the "party" lifestyle for forty years. He’s a father of ten who seems more interested in sitting on his couch than hitting the club.
Actionable Takeaways if You’re Following His Story:
- Check the Source: If you see a headline about "Eddie Murphy's heart-breaking diagnosis," check if they’re actually talking about the Irish psychologist Dr. Eddie Murphy.
- Watch 'Being Eddie': If you want to hear him talk about the OCD in his own voice, the Netflix doc is the only place with the real facts.
- Ignore the "Secret Disease" TikToks: These are almost always AI-generated scripts designed to get clicks from concerned fans.
Eddie Murphy is 64, healthy, and still checking the stove—just like he’s done since he was a kid. He isn't sick; he's just human.
To stay updated on Eddie’s actual career moves rather than health rumors, keep an eye on official Netflix or Paramount production schedules for his upcoming projects.