Published: 9:55 PM PDT, July 1, 2024
Eddie Murphy surprised some fans when talking about his longtime love, Paige Butcher, and referring to her as his “wife” multiple times.
The 63-year-old Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F star sat down for a chat on The New York Times’ The Interview podcast, where he made the comment while joking about how he doesn’t keep up with pop culture and trends at all these days.
“I’m so out of touch. I used to be so hip. I used to know who everybody was, and now there’s just so much stuff. I ask my wife, ‘Who’s this person?’ She’ll be like, ‘Oh, that’s so and so. They’re the biggest thing in the world,'” Murphy said with a laugh.
Later in the interview, he made a similar reference to 44-year-old Butcher being his wife, when he joked about the TV shows they watch together.
“Every night at 6 o’clock, when I eat dinner, I watch Steve Harvey and Family Feud. On Tuesdays, I watch The Masked Singer. We do!” Murphy said. “My wife and I, we watch all of those shows, the singing competitions and that kind of stuff.”
Murphy and Butcher first began dating in 2012, and later got engaged in September 2018. It’s unclear if the pair have actually exchanged vows, or if Murphy was simply using the word “wife” as a term of convenience.
Murphy and Butcher share two children — daughter Izzy, 8 and son Max, 5.
Murphy is also father to eight other children, including five with ex-wife Nicole Mitchell — Bria, 34, Myles, 31, Shayne, 29, Zola, 24, and Bella, 22. Murphy shares sons Eric, 34, and Christian, 33, with former partners Paulette McNeely and Tamara Hood. Murphy also has a 17-year-old daughter, Angel, with ex-girlfriend Mel B.
Murphy recently spoke with ET at the premiere of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F last month, and opened up about his son, Eric, dating Martin Lawrence’s daughter, Jasmin.
The lovebirds have been romantically involved for several years, and many fans have wondered about future wedding plans — and who will be on the hook for paying for the event.
Murphy told ET that part shouldn’t really be an issue.
“Well, customarily the father pays for daughter, am I correct? That’s the way it goes down,” Murphy said, throwing the financial responsibility onto Lawrence’s shoulders. “It shouldn’t be an issue, you know? Bad Boys is out of the park and Martin has lots and lots of money, so he should be able to play for a splendid wedding.”
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