fr | nl
Search
ticketshop support us

Norbit Page

The 2007 comedy is one of the most polarizing films in Eddie Murphy's career. While critics largely panned it, the movie has maintained a bizarrely resilient cult following and remains a significant piece of pop culture trivia. 🎭 Behind the Multiple Roles

Eddie Murphy didn't just play the titular character; he portrayed three distinct roles: Norbit Rice: The shy, mild-mannered protagonist.

Rasputia Latimore: Norbit’s domineering, over-the-top wife.

Mr. Wong: The elderly owner of the orphanage where Norbit grew up.

To transform into Rasputia, Murphy spent 2 to 3 hours in makeup each day and wore a prosthetic "fat suit" weighing roughly 34 kilograms (75 lbs). Interestingly, many scenes used a stand-in actress named Lauren Miller, whose physique was matched by the prosthetic suit before Murphy's face was digitally added in post-production. 📉 The "Oscar Curse" Theory

A popular Hollywood legend suggests that Norbit actually cost Eddie Murphy an Oscar.

The Timing: Murphy was the frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor for Dreamgirls (2006). Norbit

The Impact: Norbit was released just before Oscar voting closed. Many believe the film's "low-brow" humor and negative reviews turned off Academy voters, leading to Alan Arkin winning the award instead.

The Irony: While it was nominated for eight Razzies (winning three), Norbit actually received an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup. 🎬 Production & Legacy Norbit Movie Review | Common Sense Media

Released on February 9, 2007, Norbit is a high-energy romantic comedy that remains one of the most polarizing entries in Eddie Murphy’s filmography. Directed by Brian Robbins, the film is a showcase of physical comedy and heavy prosthetics, continuing Murphy's tradition of playing multiple distinct roles in a single feature. Plot and Characters

The story follows Norbit Albert Rice (Murphy), a shy, mild-mannered orphan raised in a Chinese restaurant-orphanage by the gruff but kind-hearted Mr. Wong (also played by Murphy). As a child, Norbit is separated from his soulmate, Kate Thomas (played by Thandiwe Newton). He is eventually "rescued" on the playground by Rasputia Latimore (Murphy’s third role), a domineering and abusive girl who grows up to be his tyrannical, morbidly obese wife.

The conflict arises when Kate returns to town with plans to buy the old orphanage. Norbit sees a chance for true love but must first summon the courage to stand up to Rasputia and her three intimidating brothers—Big Black Jack (Terry Crews), Blue (Lester Speight), and Earl (Clifton Powell)—who plan to turn the orphanage into a strip club. Technical Achievement: The Makeup of Norbit

A defining element of the film is the intensive use of practical effects. Legendary makeup artist Rick Baker and his team at Cinovation designed the prosthetics and silicone bodysuits that transformed Murphy into his various characters. The 2007 comedy is one of the most

Post: "Norbit" — A Brief Look

Norbit is a 2007 comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and starring Eddie Murphy in multiple roles. The story follows Norbit Albert Rice, a timid, orphaned man married to the overbearing and manipulative Rasputia Latimore. After reconnecting with his childhood sweetheart, Kate, Norbit confronts the emotional and comedic chaos of his marriage while seeking the courage to reclaim his life.

The Box Office: Wait, It Made Money?

Here is the secret that gets lost in the critical hate: Norbit was a commercial hit. Produced on a budget of $60 million, it grossed over $159 million worldwide. Opening weekend, it dethroned Hannibal Rising.

Why? Because audiences in 2007 wanted lowbrow, unpretentious comedy. They wanted to see Eddie Murphy do what he does best: disappear into a role. The disconnect between the critics (9%) and the audience (53% on RT) is massive. It wasn't a huge hit, but it was profitable enough that the studio didn’t regret it. That is, until...

Key points

The Controversy: A Problematic Legacy

We cannot write about Norbit without addressing the elephant (or the woman in the leopard print) in the room. In 2007, the NAACP criticized the film for its portrayal of Rasputia, arguing it reinforced negative stereotypes of Black women as loud, aggressive, and sexually voracious.

Looking at it today, the critique holds weight. While Murphy famously uses fat suits to liberate his inner id (think Sherman Klump in The Nutty Professor), Rasputia lacks the redeeming sweetness of Mama Klump. Rasputia is purely a monster. She is an abusive spouse—physically, emotionally, and financially controlling Norbit. The joke is always her size and her appetite.

However, a modern re-evaluation might argue that Norbit is a stealth drama about domestic abuse. Norbit is a male victim of a female abuser, a story rarely told in mainstream comedy. The film never glorifies Rasputia; it holds her up as a force of destruction. The fact that the character is played by a man in a suit highlights the absurdity of the power imbalance, but it also complicates the racial and gender politics in ways the filmmakers likely never intended. Post: "Norbit" — A Brief Look Norbit is

Short excerpt suitable for social sharing

"Norbit" delivers over-the-top comedy anchored by Eddie Murphy’s multi-character performances. It’s a divisive watch—some applaud its outrageous humor and Murphy’s versatility, while others criticize its reliance on stereotypes. If you enjoy broad slapstick and character-driven farce, it’s worth a look; if you prefer subtlety, you might want to skip it.

Would you like a longer review, a spoiler-filled plot summary, or a version tailored for Facebook, Twitter/X, or Instagram?

, but it has also evolved into a specific industry term used during award seasons. The Film: Norbit (2007) Directed by Brian Robbins , the movie follows the life of Norbit Albert Rice

, a shy, mild-mannered orphan raised in a Chinese restaurant/orphanage by Mr. Wong.

Potential Thesis Statements

  1. On Stereotypes:
    “Though widely panned, Norbit offers a critical, if problematic, lens onto the persistence of racial and gender caricatures in mainstream comedy, reflecting post-Civil Rights era tensions in Black representation.”

  2. On Body Politics:
    “The film’s exaggerated treatment of bodies (Rasputia’s size, Mr. Wong’s age) reveals Hollywood’s reliance on physical grotesquerie as a substitute for character development, yet inadvertently exposes societal anxieties about fatness, femininity, and desire.”

  3. On Eddie Murphy’s Career:
    “Norbit sits at a crossroads in Eddie Murphy’s filmography, where virtuoso character comedy collides with regressive humor, illustrating the trade-off between mainstream success and critical respect.”