Paul Reiser Talks ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ and the One Joke From the Original That Fans Still Quote to Him

Forty years ago, Paul Reiser improvised a line in 1984’s massively successful action comedy, Beverly Hills Cop: “Hey, this is not my locker!”

“They hadn’t written a line for me to get out. So I just I made that up,” Reiser explained in a recent Zoom interview with Decider. Little did the comedian know, that line would follow him for the rest of his career. “When I watched it recently, I’m almost off camera for all of that line. But for some reason that’s—more than anything I’ve done in 40 years—what people remember.”

Reiser, now 68, reprises his Beverly Hills Cop role in the fourth movie of the Eddie Murphy-led franchise, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which began streaming on Netflix today. His character, Jeffrey, has graduated from being Axel’s (Murphy) goofy buddy in the Detroit police force to being his no-nonsense boss, frequently berating Axel for refusing to play by the rules. Reiser’s not the only OG who’s back. In addition to Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton return as Rosewood and Taggart respectively, this time to help Axel and his estranged daughter (played by Zola star Taylour Paige) uncover a conspiracy of corruption.

“It [is] such a good representation of the franchise,” Reiser said of the new film. “It mirrored the best of the first and the second.” But, at the same time, “there really was no denying that 40 years had passed. [Eddie] is a father many times over, and a grandfather. I’m a father several times over. We’re different. I’m glad that the movie embraced that.”

Reiser spoke to Decider about his memories of the first two films, returning to the franchise, and his role in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.

DECIDER: Tell me about the first time you and Eddie Murphy met.

PAUL REISER: My recollection is we were all working in the city, in the comic strip, and we would hear about this kid out on Long Island—which was like another world. The island was not quite the city. Everybody from the island would say, “You gotta see this kid. He’s so funny. He’s 16. He’s so funny.” I remember thinking, “How funny is anybody at 16? You can’t be that funny, you’re 16!” And then the first time he went up, I remember being floored. This guy is so confident and talented and magnetic. He had such a presence on stage. In addition to being funny, there was something magical about him from day one. We weren’t friends, but we knew each other. This is how old I am—I remember being at his 21st birthday party in Studio 54.

So when I got to work on Beverly Hills Cop, I was not as intimidated as I might have been, had I not met him. Also, it was really easy to play—because I didn’t have that much to do in the film, certainly in that scene. So it was easy to play with him. A lot of times people go, “Oh that scene in Beverly Hills Cop 2, and he’s yelling at you—you guys are so funny.” I go, “Thank you, but watch it again. It’s just Eddie being funny. I’m just standing there getting yelled at.” But you look funny if you’re standing next to the guy who’s a comedy powerhouse! That’s my advice to young people: Try to stand next to Eddie Murphy while he’s being really funny, and you’ll look good. 

What do you remember about working on those first two movies—especially Beverly Hills Cop 2, where you got a bigger role?

God bless the writers because I’m in Detroit, and the movie is all about him being out of Detroit. So in the second one, they had to reach a little bit to concoct some story to involve me. It’s funny, until people were talking about this new one coming out, I don’t think I was aware of quite how deep the attachment was. I knew it was one of the biggest hits of the ’80s, but I didn’t quite get how deeply connected people were, and how hungry they were for ’80s nostalgia. But everybody had a poster up in their bedroom. As Eddie’s pointed out, it was a global success, it wasn’t just the states. It was America’s contribution to action comedy, and a template for so many action comedies that came after.

I just saw [Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F] the other night, at the premiere, and in the best sense, it was such a good representation of the franchise. It mirrored the best of the first and the second. Watching Eddie—I continue to be astounded at how powerful he is with a glance, with the shifting behind the eyes. In the first one, when he goes into that fancy country club and to talk to Steven Berkoff, and he decides to play this very effeminate, boy toy. And you see it—he just does a click in his eyes and you go, “OK, he’s a different character right now.” There are not many people who can do that to such great effect. I continue to stand in awe of his powers, his presence.

My association over the last 40 years—the one line that people most often come over to me and say— is “Hey, this is not my locker!” Which was so funny to me, because that was a throwaway line in the first one. We are in this locker room scene, and the boss comes in, and I’m not in the scene anymore, but they hadn’t written a line for me to get out. So I just I made that up. “Hey, this is not my locker!” When I watched it recently, I’m almost off camera for all of that line. But for some reason that’s—more than anything I’ve done in 40 years—what people remember. Sometimes people would do variations of it. I’d be at the airport and somebody would go, “Hey, that’s not my suitcase!” And I’d go, “I don’t know what you’re saying. That’s my suitcase. Oh, you’re referencing the movie.” But how cool is that? That somebody remembers something from 40 years ago, enough to keep it in their artillery. 

You brought that line back in the second movie, when you say, “This is not my office.” I was expecting another reference in this new one, but it never came!

I pitched it, and I think we did it, and I think it was cut. Maybe it was a little bit forced, I can’t remember. 

What was the line? Can we get it now?

I don’t remember where it was. It was somewhere in that locker room, where they were giving me the going-away presents. I can’t remember if we shot it, but I remember pitching it to the director, and there just wasn’t the natural place to do it. You know, a successful callback is cool, but you don’t want to break frame and wink at the audience. So, I think we erred on the side of good taste. But I’m glad to know you were on the edge of your seat waiting for the forty year callback. 

There’s been a lot of talk about a fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie over the years, but I’d love to hear your reaction to hearing it was definitely happening, and your new role in the movie.

When something is so successful, there’s always gentle talk about, “Hey, let’s do another one!” But I’m not involved in it. It’s obviously up to Eddie. So I heard about it when it was complete, and they said, “Hey, they’re doing it. Here’s the script, here’s your role, and you play his boss now!” That’s really funny, I love that. The day we shot that car scene, where I drop him off at the airport, was the first day of the film. It was my first day, it was Eddie’s first day. It was great to catch up. But there really was no denying that 40 years had passed. He’s a father many times over, and a grandfather. I’m a father several times over. We’re different. I’m glad that the movie embraced that. The heart of the movie is him trying to reconnect with his daughter, which would have been unimaginable 40 years ago. It had all the magic and all the fun of Eddie, without trying to pretend, wisely, we’re 23. I’m retiring! That’s how far we’ve come. Not only have I risen to the level of being captain, I’m retiring.

I remember sitting between takes, talking about comedy, remembering guys in the club, and he’s says something casual, and he’s talked about this before, “I think about going back, but it’s hard. Everybody’s got a phone and a camera, and you don’t want to be recorded.” I said, “That’s a solvable problem. You can take people’s phones.” But I said, “Please do it!” Certainly in the comedy community, they’d love to see what Eddie does. Go up and do 90 minutes at this point in your life. He’s only gotten better, and it’s a different Eddie. There’s a different take that you have in your 20s when you’re cocky and want to show the world how great you are. He’s been great for 40 years. He doesn’t need to point it out. We know it and he knows it. He’s gentler. He’s got less to prove and more to share. As a standup, I’m really eager to see what he would do.

You mentioned one of my favorite scenes in the movie, when you’re dropping Eddie Murphy off at the airport. It felt so genuine, your riffing with him. Was that all scripted?

I think most of it was written. I think some of those lines that he was calling out, “Doesn’t he look older? We’re the same age!” I think that was Eddie. I remember sitting in the car, and he gets out and he says, “They love me in Beverly Hills,” and he puts the glasses on. I went, “There’s the poster. There’s the trailer.” I’m looking at it. I’m seeing it before anybody else is seeing it. That’s the shot. In that moment, I saw the whole movie. I could see how excited people would be to see that. It was freaking Eddie Murphy saying, “They love, me in Beverly Hills.” Boom, there it is. 

I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask: Are you filming for Stranger Things Season Five? Or are you wrapped at this point? 

I’m not at liberty to discuss that, because they’ll have me killed. I’m not shooting today, clearly. But it remains to be seen. 

Fair enough. This is the final season. How are you feeling about saying goodbye to the show?

The kids are 42 and 43, so it’s harder to get them dressed up for Halloween at this point. It’s remarkable. I keep seeing on Instagram, things will pop up—Millie’s married, Caleb and Finn, they’re doing model shots. Look at these guys! They’re men! I came in the second season, which was such a no-brainer, because it was such a big hit. But in my head, I was a little bit the new kid on the block. Where do you sit at lunch, you know? But the kids were all so sweet, and they remain so. They continue to be just nice, young people, even with this ridiculous amount of success and visibility. Hats off to them.

I think from the beginning the brothers said it’s going to be five years. It’s not going to be four. It’s not going to be six. We have it figured out. So it’s not sad, it makes sense. The artistic vision was: We know what we want to do for five years. And that’s a lot. Especially towards Seasons 2 and 3—they were movies. They were big budget movies for each episode. To do 10, 15 of them? Those are 15 movies! It deserves to come full circle and move on. 

You have this whole new generation of fans that love you because of Stranger Things. How do you feel about young people knowing you from that show, instead of Beverly Hills, Mad About You or your stand-up career? 

A lot of people still don’t know me as a stand-up, which is, in some ways, fair, because I took such a long time off doing it. I just hadn’t really been out there. It’s a little bit under the radar. I heard from a couple of friends that their teenage kids, or 20-year-old kids—they said, “We’re going to see Paul perform at this theater.” And they’ll go, “Wait, the doctor from Stranger Things is going to try to be funny?” [Laughs.] It’s like, “Would you explain to your kid that this is what I do?”

But it’s been nice. I’ve actually seen the audience grow. It’s a fool’s errand to try and pretend that you’re not what you are. When we did the little Mad About You reboot, part of the great fun was we’re not trying to reboot it. We’re not trying to say, “Look, we’re newlyweds.” We’re tired, married people of 20 years with a kid who’s been a pain in the neck and leaving finally. Let’s embrace the comedy of that. We don’t hear as well. We don’t walk as fast. Dreams haven’t all come true.

I have this movie that I wrote and I’m in, it’s called The Problem with People. It’s going to come out in October and it stars me, and Colm Meaney, who’s my age, and a huge actor, Irish actor. I was talking to the distributor and they said, “There’s a really strong market for gray comedy.” I said, “Gray comedy? You mean not quite funny—not comedy and drama?” They went “No, gray, because you’re old.” Oh, there’s a term? There’s a whole genre for old guys? Okay! If you’re looking for Transformers, this is not the movie for you. But if you want to see two guys kicking it about and being really funny—and you don’t mind they have gray hair—go see that movie.