Eddie Murphy as the straight man? Oddly enough he wrote the story for John Landis’ film and cast himself as a goody-goody who speaks perfectly stilted English, instead of standard scatological Murphy-ese.
In this reactive role, he is an African prince who comes to America pretending to be poor because he’s seeking a bride who will love him for himself alone.
He gives dozens of Paul Hogan-ish deadpan looks and allows his lackey Arsenio Hall and other characters to get the laughs.
Many of these other characters are, in fact, Murphy himself playing cameos (e.g. three-quarters of a barbershop quartet of gabbling fools).
Prince Akeem/Clarence/Randy Watson/Saul
Eddie Murphy
Semmi/Extremely Ugly Girl/Morris/Reverend Brown
Arsenio Hall
Cleo McDowell
John Amos
King Jaffe Joffer
James Earl Jones
Lisa McDowell
Shari Headley
Queen Aoleon
Madge Sinclair
Darryl Jenks
Eriq LaSalle
Patrice McDowell
Allison Dean
Oha
Paul Bates
Maurice
Louie Anderson
Imani Izzi
Vanessa Bell
Colonel Izzi
Calvin Lockhart
Director
John Landis