Eddie Murphy, Father Of Nine? Actor Expecting Child With Paige Butcher

Actor Eddie Murphy will become a father of nine in 2016!

The Oscar-nominated actor is reportedly expecting a child with his longtime girlfriend, Paige Butcher.

Eddie’s rep confirmed the news with E! News Wednesday, claiming that Eddie and Paige “are pleased to announce that they are expecting a child in May.”

Eddie Murphy is expecting his 9th child — his first with longtime girlfriend Paige Butcher https://t.co/hb8RhR6hi9

— New York Post (@nypost) November 5, 2015

In an October, 2013, interview with Vanity Fair, Paige Butcher was asked to explain why she does not have a strong presence on social media. With the exception of paparazzi photos, the interviewer told her that she was very hard to find on Google.

According to Paige, that is exactly the way that she wants it — especially since she is already in the public eye due to her relationship with Eddie Murphy.

“I’m in a relationship with a celebrity, so I felt like there’s already enough of me out there. I felt like I was giving out too much information. I was giving people too much access. I like to keep as much private as possible now. As you say, people will use anything against you. The more you put out, the more you get back. I just wasn’t using it. And I was really boring. I would just post my volunteer work.”

Over the past year alone, Paige Butcher has been on Eddie’s arm on quite a few red carpets and seated next to him at a number of different events.

For instance, Eddie brought her along with him when he recently accepted the Mark Twain Prize for Humor. Eddie Murphy also had his longtime girlfriend by his side at the Oscars, as well as the Saturday Night Live 40th anniversary special back in February.

Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher have reportedly been dating since late 2011, according to the Huffington Post.

Eddie Murphy welcomed his first child, 26-year-old Eric, into the world with former girlfriend Paulette McNeely. He had another son, 25-year-old Christian, with former girlfriend Tamara Hood.

After meeting Nicole Mitchell at the NAACP Image Awards in 1988, Eddie Murphy started dating the woman that would eventually become his wife of 13 years.

Throughout the course of their relationship, Eddie and Nicole had five kids together: Bria (25), Myles (22), Shayne (21), Zola (15) and Bella (13).

After their divorce was finalized, Eddie Murphy became romantically involved with former Spice Girls member Melanie Brown (aka “Mel B”). The couple welcomed 8-year-old daughter Angel into the world — making a grand total of eight children for the former stand-up comedian.

At the time that Angel was born, there were a lot of rumors and allegations circulating online that referred to Eddie Murphy as a deadbeat dad.

In August, 2007, according to Just Jared, Melanie Brown’s attorney, Gloria Allred, made claims that Eddie had not paid her client anything for the financial support of their child.

Eddie responded to those claims with a statement made on his behalf that was issued to Entertainment Tonight.

“Eddie Murphy always has and will continue to honor his responsibilities as a father. Mr. Murphy and Ms. Brown dated very briefly and never made any plans of any sort. He acknowledges paternity of the child Angel, and has paid child support to Ms. Brown as well as covering the expenses of her pregnancy. Mr. Murphy views this as a private matter and as such, will not be making any further comments about it.”

Eddie Murphy has also played a father on the big-screen throughout his decades-long acting career including in the box-office hit movie, Daddy Day Care.

[Image Credit: Kris Connor / Getty Images]