The Cast of 1984's 'Beverly Hills Cop': Where Are They Now? (2024)

Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley

Already well known for his stand-up comedy and as a Saturday Night Live cast member, Eddie Murphy’s 1984 star turn in Beverly Hills Cop was preceded by film roles in 1982’s 48 Hrs. (another buddy cop comedy) and 1983’s Trading Places opposite SNL co-star Dan Aykroyd.

Murphy would go on to reprise his role as Axel Foley, a Detroit cop perpetually drawn back to southern California by murder investigations, in all three subsequent films in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, including this summer’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Along the way, he also starred in some of the biggest comedies of the past four decades, including Coming to America, Boomerang and 1996 remake of The Nutty Professor. He’s also voiced characters in Disney’s Mulan and the films in the Shrek franchise, and his supporting role in Dreamgirls earned him a 2007 Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe. His 1987 stand-up film, Eddie Murphy: Raw is one of the most influential in the genre, and his lead performance in 2019’s Dolomite Is My Name earned him widespread acclaim.

Most recently, he returned to his Coming to America role in the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America, and appeared in the Netflix ensemble comedy You People and Prime Video Christmas flick Candy Cane Lane in 2023.

Murphy is the father of 10 children. He shares five with ex-wife Nichole Murphy and three each with former partners Paulette McNeely, Tamara Hood and Mel B. He began dating Australian model Paige Butcher in 2012, and the couple have been engaged since 2018. They share two children, a daughter born in 2016 and a son born in 2018.

Judge Reinhold as Detective Billy Rosewood

Before taking on the role of Det. Billy Rosewood, one of Foley’s partners in Beverly Hills Cop, Judge Reinhold had appeared in memorable ’80s comedies like Stripes, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Gremlins as well as the 1983 drama The Lords of Discipline.

Like Murphy, Reinhold has returned to his Beverly Hills Cop role in all three sequels, and also starred alongside Danny DeVito and Bette Midler in the 1986 black comedy Ruthless People. In 1994 he earned an Emmy nomination for his memorable guest appearance as “the close talker” on Seinfeld. He also appeared in The Santa Clause that same year, and would return for the holiday film’s two sequels in the early 2000s while also appearing in guest roles on series like Monk, Arrested Development and The Detour.

Reinhold has been married to film director Amy Miller since 2000. They share an 11-year-old daughter, Haley.

John Ashton as Sergeant John Taggart

John Ashton made his film debut 11 years before playing Foley and Rosewood’s partner, Sgt. John Taggart, in Beverly Hills Cop, appearing in small roles 1973’s The Psychopath, 1977’s Oh, God! and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension while also taking on guest roles in shows like Kojak, Columbo, Wonder Woman, M*A*S*H and The A-Team.

Ashton has re-teamed with Murphy and Reinhold in all three Beverly Hills Cop sequels, while also continuing to work steadily on TV and in less high-profile films. Some of his best known films include 1987’s Some Kind of Wonderful, 1988’s She’s Having a Baby and Ben Affleck’s 2007 directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone.

Paul Reiser as Detective Jeffrey Friedman

After one appearance on Remington Steele and a starring role alongside Kevin Bacon, Steve Guttenberg, Mikey Rourke and Ellen Barkin in 1982’s Diner, Paul Reiser jumped into the role of Det. Jeffrey Friedman, which he too would reprise in every Beverly Hills Cop sequel to date.

Reiser went on to fight Xenomorphs in director James Cameron’s Aliens in 1986, and starred in a number of comedies throughout the ’80s and ’90s. But his biggest claim to fame has to be his starring role opposite Helen Hunt in the NBC sitcom Mad About You. The series brought Reiser a slew of Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations over its original seven-season run, and both he and Hunt returned for a limited 12-episode revival in 2019.

Reiser has also appeared in Judd Apatow’s Funny People, Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash and Steven Soderbergh’s Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra. Since 2017, he’s had a supporting role on Stranger Things and appeared in two episodes of FX’s 2019 limited series Fosse/Verdon. His role on The Kominsky Method earned him another Emmy nomination and he starred opposite Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom in Hulu’s short-lived but delightful comedy Reboot.

The 68-year-old actor has been married to Paula Ravets since 1988. The couple have two sons, Ezra Samuel and Leon.

Jonathan Banks as Zack

Jonathan Banks has been bringing his gruff, no-nonsense vibe to film and TV roles for decades, appearing in a small role as a local cop inGremlinsand as bad guy Zack inBeverly Hills Copthat same year.

But today he’s perhaps best known toBreaking Badfans as cop-turned-drug cartel enforcer Mike Ehrmantraut. Banks has reprised the role in bothBreaking Badprequel seriesBetter Call Sauland in the Netflix filmEl Camino, earning five of his six Emmy nominations for his performance. His first Emmy nod came in 1989, for his role in the CBS crime dramaWiseguy.

Banks was married to his first wife Marnie from 1968 to 1970. The couple share one daughter, and Banks shares twins and a stepdaughter with his second wife, Gennera.

Most recently, Banks starred oppositeNoomi Rapacein this year’s AppleTV+ sci-fi seriesConstellation. He’ll next voice a character in Max’sHarley Quinnspin-off seriesKite Man: Hell Yeah!, due out later this year.

Bronson Pinchot as Serge

Bronson Pinchot was an unknown 25-year-old actor struggling to make ends meet whenBeverly Hills Coppremiered in 1984. He had just about two minutes of screen time as the heavily accented gallery worker Serge, but he made an impression on moviegoers and A-listers alike.

“Five seconds after the movie came out,” he told PEOPLE recently, “I metCarrie Fisher, and she took me to a party atRod Stewart’s house. I’m chatting withElton Johnlike, ‘What’s going on?’ ”

He went on to his memorable, Emmy-nominated turn as “Cousin” Balki on the sitcomPerfect Strangers from 1986 to 1993, working steadily though somewhat quietly for the years that followed. (When it comes to show business, he told PEOPLE, “I don’t want any of the ‘show.’ ”)

Now 65, Pinchot is reprising his role in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

Ronny Cox as Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil

Prior to playing helpful Beverly Hills PD Lt. Andrew Bogomil in Beverly Hills Cop, Ronny Cox's extensive career began in the 1970s, notably with his role on the series Apple's Way and films including Gray Lady Down, Deliverance and Taps.

He re-teamed with his costars for 1987's Beverly Hills Cop II before moving on to RoboCop and Total Recall in addition to series including St. Elsewhere, Stargate SG-1 and most recently, Star Trek: Prodigy.

Cox, now 85, is also an accomplished singer-songwriter. He and his late wife Mary have two sons together.

Lisa Eilbacher as Jenny Summers

Lisa Eilbacherstarted acting as a child, picking up roles on The Brady Bunch, My Three Sons and Gunsmoke, among others. Prior to playing Foley's former friend in Beverly Hills Cop, she costarred in 1982's An Officer and a Gentleman, following up with Never Say Die, The Last Samurai and Midnight Caller. Now 68, her last listed acting credit was in 1995's 919 Fifth Avenue.

Steven Berkoff as Victor Maitland

Before playing super bad guy Victor Maitland, British actor and writer Steven Berkoff had a prolific career in theater, television and film dating back to the 1950s. Throughout the 1970s and '80s he starred in everything from A Clockwork Orange and Octopuss* to Under the Cherry Moon and Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Since then, his main passion has been his theater work, though he's stayed busy in films and series including The Tourist, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Vikings.

Now 86, Berkoff has two daughters from previous relationships. He has been with his pianist partner, Clara Fischer, for more than 30 years.