It is hard to imagine a world without Coming to America, but according to Arsenio Hall, that world nearly existed. The beloved 1988 comedy which turned Eddie Murphy’s portrayal of a fictional African prince searching for love in Queens, New York into one of cinema’s most enduring stories was initially rejected by the very studio that ultimately released it.
Hall, 70, made the revelation during a recent appearance on the SiriusXM podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, pulling back the curtain on the rocky early road that the now-classic film traveled before it ever reached audiences.
A pitch that went nowhere at first
When Hall and Murphy first brought the concept to Paramount, the response was a polite but firm pass. Studio executives told the duo they were not interested, citing the story’s familiar framework. The premise of a foreigner navigating American life for the first time was, in their view, a well-worn concept that offered nothing new.
When Hall and Murphy pushed for specific feedback asking what they could do to improve the pitch the studio’s response was vague. Executives acknowledged the fish-out-of-water format felt overly familiar but could not point to a clear fix. The two left without a deal and, it seemed, without much direction.
There was also another significant element missing from that early version of the script. The pitch that Paramount initially rejected did not include several of the most memorable characters Murphy would eventually bring to life on screen. The barbershop regulars, the charismatic preacher and Murphy’s turn as an elderly Jewish man all of them were absent from the version the studio first heard.
The note that changed everything
Eventually, a Paramount executive did offer a piece of constructive feedback that would prove to be the turning point. The suggestion was straightforward: audiences missed watching Murphy disappear into multiple roles the way he had on Saturday Night Live, and the film could lean into that by having the characters Murphy’s Prince Akeem encounters in America be played by Murphy himself.
It was in that moment, Hall recalled, that Murphy looked over and spotted an opportunity for his friend and co-star. Murphy had seen Hall perform stand-up comedy on an HBO special and remembered a Jesse Jackson impression that convinced him Hall had the range to pull off a memorable preacher character. From there, Murphy began developing the specific ensemble of characters the two would ultimately share on screen.
Hall described the realization that he would be performing alongside Murphy in multiple roles as simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. Playing characters opposite one of the most gifted comedic performers in Hollywood history was, as Hall framed it, something like being asked to guard Michael Jordan an honor wrapped in enormous pressure.
From rejection to a 30 year legacy
The film debuted in 1988 and became a cultural touchstone, earning a devoted following that has only grown in the decades since. Murphy starred as Prince Akeem Joffer of the fictional kingdom of Zamunda, while Hall played his loyal best friend and aide Semmi, who joins the prince on his journey to find a suitable bride in America. Both actors portrayed multiple characters throughout the film, a comedic feat that became one of its most celebrated elements.
In 2021, 33 years after the original, the two returned for a sequel Coming 2 America which debuted on Amazon Prime Video. Hall has spoken previously about the weight of meeting fan expectations for a follow-up to such a beloved film, noting that audiences were vocal, passionate and very clear about what they did not want the sequel to be. That level of devotion speaks to just how deeply the original connected with people a connection that might never have happened if that second conversation with Paramount had not gone differently.
