Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross talk new holiday film ‘Candy Cane Lane’

‘Tis the season to enjoy some favorite holiday movies, and Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross hope to add their new Prime Video film, Candy Cane Lane, to your collection.

“We were looking for something special and we decided to do a Christmas movie,” Murphy tells Good Morning America.

In the film, out December 1, Murphy plays an over-the-top dad named Chris Carver, who is so determined to win his neighborhood’s Christmas decorating contest that he strikes a deal with mischievous elf Pepper (Jillian Bell). With his family and some magical new friends, Chris then has to undo the spell and save Christmas.

“We wanted to do something that would be around forever, that people could watch over and over again like the Christmas movies when I was a kid,” said Murphy, who also produced the movie.

Ross calls the comedy a timeless classic.

In real life, Murphy explains, “We go all out every Christmas. Lots of gifts, big tree, actually too many decorations, lots of kids around — and I love it.”

Although Ross said she enjoys the cooking part, she said she saves the holiday decorating for others. “My favorite part of Christmas is being around my family,” Ross said. “But the magic of Christmas through the eyes of my nieces and nephews is everything.”

Eddie, now 62, also talked about his longevity as a star. “Most movies don’t work, most TV shows and most records, you never hear them,” he said.

He continued, “I’m grateful to be in this business for as long as I’ve been, to be able to make a living doing what I do, to look around my house and be like, ‘Wow, everything you have is from making people laugh,’ and that’s a blessing.”

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