How Nicole Murphy Allegedly Affected Eddie Murphy’s Marriage With Paige Butcher

Eddie Murphy married his longtime girlfriend Paige Butcher not too long ago. But an insider once claimed Murphy would only consider marrying Butcher under one ironclad condition. And Murphy’s previous relationship with Nicole Murphy played a part in the comedian’s decision.

Eddie Murphy didn’t want to risk a repeat of his last divorce

Murphy already knew what it was like going through a costly divorce . It was reported that Murphy ended up paying his ex-wife, Nicole Murphy, $15 million after their break-up was finalized. The pair started dating in 1988 before getting married five years later in 1993.

But Murphy dated his current wife, Butcher, much longer before a proposal was made. Butcher and Murphy started reportedly dating in 2012 after meeting each other in Big Momma’s House 2 . They were engaged by 2018, and finally married in July 2024.

According to one source, a prenup played an important role in Murphy and Butcher finally tying the knot. The comedian allegedly refused to jeopardize his massive net worth again after his experience with Nicole.

“He loves Paige and has been devoted to her for years, but make no mistake, they’re not walking down the isle without a prenup,” the insider once told Radar Online . “This isn’t the first time at the marriage rodeo.”

“This time, he’s choosing to protect his financial empire over love,” the source added.

If the source is to be believed, it seems Murphy felt secure enough with both Butcher and his finances to finally honor their engagement.

Paige Butcher reportedly rules Eddie Murphy’s household

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Other insiders have claimed that Butcher might actually be the head of the new Murphy household. A source for Closer offered curious fans interesting insight into the married lives of Butcher and Murphy. The suggestion that Butcher leads the relationship more than Murphy does, however, is a dynamic the Beverly Hills Cop star seems to prefer.

“Paige is calling the shots and Eddie doesn’t seem to mind at all,” the source said “He lets her rule.”

The source further alleged that Butcher makes sure Murphy spends some much-needed quality time with the family.

“Paige insists he does his fair share of household chores and doesn’t slink off to hide behind a computer when they want family time,” they said. “He just pays for everything and he’s happy to.”

“A happy wife is a happy life is the right slogan for Eddie these days,” the insider added.

Some close to Murphy, however, have given the comedian a bit of grief over his newfound lifestyle.

“Nobody ever thought they’d see him be a ‘yes’ man, but it’s happened. It’s a head-scratcher for his pals, but as long as Eddie’s happy, they are happy,” the source added.

In the same New York Times interview where Murphy called Butcher his wife, he was proud to live a simple family life nowadays.

“I’m not ashamed to say this: every night at 6:00 p.m. when I’m having dinner, I watch Steve Harvey and Family Feud . On Tuesdays, I watch The Masked Singer . We watch! My wife and I watch all these shows, singing competitions and stuff like that. … Last year, I watched the whole of The Golden Bachelor ,” Murphy said.

Additionally, Butcher helped keep Murphy’s pulse on modern pop culture. In his older years, it seems the Nutty Professor star has lost touch with industry trends.

“I’m so out of touch with reality. I used to be so up-to-date. I used to know who everyone was, and now there’s just so much stuff,” he said. “I ask my wife, ‘Who is this person?’ She says, ‘Oh, it’s so-and-so. It’s the greatest thing in the world.’ I don’t even know what’s going on.”