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American Morning
Eddie Murphy Returns as Dr. Dolittle
Aired June 20, 2001 - 11:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LAURIN SYDNEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With its mix of comedy and high tech special effects, "Doctor Dolittle" became a box-office blockbuster in 1998. And now, three years later, Eddie Murphy is at it again. He is talking to assorted members of the animal kingdom in "Doctor Dolittle II." How have these four-legged furry friends -- I know I couldn't say that -- changed since the first time around?
Lauren Hunter spoke to Murphy and she found out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAUREN HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm with Eddie Murphy, who has once again mastered the animal world, but it's been a couple of years since we've seen Dr. D. So what's changed from the first round?
EDDIE MURPHY, "DR. DOLITTLE II": Oh, well, the cat's out of the bag, and the family has kind of accepted this gift that he has, and it's affected his life and it's changed his life. You know, he's not trying to hide it anymore. He's embraced it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "DR. DOLITTLE II")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR AS DOG: Yes, who's there?
MURPHY: Hey, it's me. I forgot my key. Open up.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR AS DOG: Well then, I guess you'll have to beg, huh?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTER: When we talked to you for "Dr. Dolittle I," you had talked about a little apprehension about working with the tiger, which, thankfully, turned out to be the tennis ball. What was the comfort level for you on this one with the bear?
MURPHY: It was the same tennis ball, we go the same tennis ball I'm acting with. You know, I don't want to do -- I'm not trying, you know, to do anything that you can get killed doing just to make a movie, you know?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "DR. DOLITTLE II")
MURPHY: You're an endangered species. UNIDENTIFIED MALE AS BEAR: Hey, is that a threat, buddy? Because my lawyer will be down here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURPHY: They do so much with visual effects, and a bear's a big, dangerous animal, and to get the type of things that we needed the bear to do is time-consuming. So, you have an animal getting frustrated on the set, and I don't want to be standing next to a frustrated bear. You'd hate to be, you know, telling that story and be "and then that day, the bear struck out on Eddie."
HUNTER: Now, you've also talked about this being one of your most recognizable roles. For everything that you've done, people know you as "Dr. Dolittle."
MURPHY: Kids, kids. I'm the same when a 5- or 6-year-old goes "Hey, Eddie Murphy," it's like -- because like when I got in this business, I was, you know, from "Saturday Night Live, " which is an edgy show, and I was a comic, and I was an edgy comic. You know, my stuff was for adults only when I first came out. So it was a new thing, you know, to have 5- and 6-year-olds, you know, like the stuff that you do.
HUNTER: You've been performing since a teenager. I think you signed with "Saturday Night Live" when you were 19. Do you still have that same passion?
MURPHY: Yes, yes, but I have different interests now. You know, I have a -- a wide range of interests now, you know? Just getting older, you just get interested in a lot more things than I had back then. But definitely, I think I have more passion for what I do and a stronger appreciation for what I do than then because when you're young, you take everything for granted, you know. And now, I think I really, really, you know, appreciate everything more.
HUNTER: Well, it's nice to still have you around. Thank you so much. It's always a pleasure.
MURPHY: Same here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SYDNEY: Always, indeed. "Dr. Dolittle II" hits theaters this weekend. And coming up, we're going to tell you why movie soundtracks are all the rage, as songs from films climb the music charts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SYDNEY: If you haven't seen the movie "Moulin Rouge," you've probably heard the song from it.
("LADY MARMALADE," MOULIN ROUGE SOUNDTRACK)
SYDNEY: Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Pink and Maya have a bona fide hit on their hands with their racy remake of Patti LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade." The foursome holds the top spot on Billboard's singles chart. The song from the can-can movie is just one example of how a movie soundtrack can take on a life of its own.
Today, at 2:35 p.m. Eastern, we will take a look at some other summer soundtracks that are sure to make waves on the old radio. Until then, I'm Laurin Sydney in Los Angeles.
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