Which comedian played the title character in the 1996 film The Nutty Professor?

Eddie Murphy played the title character in the 1996 film The Nutty Professor.

Murphy stars as Sherman Klump, a kind-hearted but overweight professor who creates a potion that transforms him into the slimmer, confident Buddy Love. Murphy also plays several members of Sherman’s family, using makeup, prosthetics, vocal changes, and performance choices to distinguish the characters.

The film is a remake of the 1963 comedy The Nutty Professor, which starred Jerry Lewis. Both films draw on the classic Jekyll-and-Hyde idea of a scientist who creates an alternate personality, but Murphy’s version expands the story through a large family ensemble and a broader comic tone.

The 1996 film was directed by Tom Shadyac and became a major box-office success. Its central role is sometimes confused with Murphy’s other movie characters, such as Axel Foley or Prince Akeem, but Sherman Klump is specifically the title professor.