Comedian and Saturday Night Live alum Pete Davidson says working with Hollywood legend Eddie Murphy taught him an invaluable lesson—one that changed how he approaches both his career and personal life.

The 31-year-old actor stars alongside Murphy in Prime Video’s upcoming comedy heist film The Pickup. While promoting the movie, Davidson told PEOPLE that Murphy’s approach to keeping his inner circle small left a lasting impression on him.
“I’ve been guilty of having 700 friends in the green room,” Davidson admitted. “Eddie has a really small crew, and it’s the same people for a really long time. I think that’s really important for having an efficient career and just a good life in this business.”
The Bupkis star explained that watching Murphy operate made him realize the importance of surrounding himself with people he can truly trust—especially in the entertainment industry.
“I’m not Eddie Murphy by any means, but when you’re at his level, you need to be able to trust everyone around you,” Davidson said.
The experience inspired Davidson to significantly trim down his social circle.
“Pretty much after that movie, I was like, ‘Okay, I have three friends. Here’s who they are. Here’s who I have to trust and share things with,’” he shared.
Directed by Tim Story, The Pickup is set to release in 2025 and features a star-studded cast including Keke Palmer, Eva Longoria, and Roman Reigns alongside Murphy and Davidson.
