Angel Iris Murphy Brown was one of the most talked-about celebrity births of 2007, born into a storm of paternity disputes, tabloid headlines, and public drama. Eighteen years later, he’s making headlines again, this time entirely on his own terms.
Angel Iris Murphy Brown, the child of Mel B and Eddie Murphy, has come out as a trans man, updating his pronouns to “him” on social media. It’s a moment that’s sparking conversation across celebrity news circles, and it says a lot that the response from both his famous parents has been nothing but supportive.
Here’s everything you need to know about who Angel is, where he came from, and what he’s doing now.
Who Is Angel Iris Murphy Brown?
Brown and her former boyfriend Murphy welcomed their child, Angel Iris, on April 3, 2007. The birth took place in Santa Monica, California, and Mel B has since shared that the name carried deep personal meaning. “Angel, as she was my little angel through my pregnancy. Iris, as it’s my grandma’s name, Murphy because he’s the dad, and Brown, because I’m the Mum!” the singer explained at the time. There’s also a quietly sentimental detail buried in the family calendar: Angel shares a birthday with Eddie Murphy, creating a subtle but meaningful tie between father and child.
Angel is one of three of Brown’s children, with the musician also being mum to Phoenix Brown, aged 26, whom she had with her ex-husband Jimmy Gulzar, and youngster Madison Brown Belafonte, aged 13, whose father is Brown’s other ex-husband, Stephen Belafonte. Murphy has nine other children in addition to Angel.
The Paternity Dispute That Defined His Early Life
Angel didn’t exactly arrive quietly. The circumstances of his birth became one of the most covered celebrity stories of the late 2000s.
Eddie Murphy and Mel B had a short romance in 2006, resulting in Angel being born in 2007 after they had split. Murphy initially denied being the father publicly, which put Mel B in an incredibly difficult position. Mel B filed a Superior Court petition that could force Murphy to acknowledge he was the father of Angel Iris Murphy Brown. Murphy’s spokesman at the time said simply, “We do not comment on Mr. Murphy’s personal life.”
A DNA test eventually confirmed what Mel B had maintained all along. With paternity established, child support arrangements followed, and over the years both parents moved toward a more cooperative relationship where Angel was concerned. Mel B has since shared that co-parenting is now “flourishing,” reflecting healthy communication and family pride.
It’s worth keeping that history in mind when you read about how both parents responded to Angel’s recent news. That kind of unity didn’t happen overnight.
Growing Up in the Public Eye
Despite having one of the most famous name combinations in celebrity culture, Angel has managed to carve out a fairly private childhood. Following Angel’s major school exams in the summer of 2023, Mel B bragged about his accomplishments on Instagram: “Art school here you come yipeeeee!!!!!” That gives a decent snapshot of where Angel’s passions lie. Not performing, not chasing fame, but making art.
Angel attended private schools and completed high school with strong interests in computers, drama, and photography. He has developed a deep passion for Japanese culture and has been studying the language for several years, with Mel B sharing that he is now fluent and recently travelled to Japan to further immerse himself in the culture.
In a 2024 appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Brown admitted that her kids aren’t interested in her hits. For someone raised between a Spice Girl and a Hollywood comedy legend, that’s quite a statement. Angel seems genuinely unbothered by the celebrity world he was born into, which honestly makes him more interesting, not less.
Angel Comes Out as a Trans Man
In 2025, the story everyone’s talking about. Angel Iris Murphy Brown turned 18 in April and changed his pronouns to “he/him” on his social media profiles.
The way it happened is actually pretty telling about who Angel is as a person. According to a source close to the family who spoke to the Daily Mail, “There was no big event to mark it. Angel just wanted it to be known what pronouns are now suitable.” No press conference, no big reveal, no Instagram essay. Just a quiet, confident update that said everything without saying much at all.
Sources close to the family confirm that both Mel B and Murphy are fully supportive of Angel’s transition. “It’s a decision Angel made and Mel has been understanding, likewise Eddie,” an insider shared with MailOnline
Mel B’s 18th birthday tribute said plenty about where their relationship stands. She wrote on Instagram, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ANGEL!!! I cannot believe you’re 18. You are so special and so bright and so talented!! I couldn’t be prouder of watching you grow and become the person you are.”
Angel is one of a number of celebrity children to come out as transgender in recent weeks, with Robert De Niro’s daughter Airyn De Niro recently confirming that she has transitioned. The pattern of visibility among children of famous people is becoming more prominent, and in many ways Angel’s story fits right into a broader cultural shift around identity and acceptance.
Mel B’s Role as a Supportive Parent
Mel B has never been one to hide her emotions, and her response to Angel’s transition follows a pattern of fierce, open support. She’s spoken candidly in past interviews about her own fluid identity. Mel B has been open about her experience of previously falling in love with a woman. So when it comes to supporting a child navigating his own identity, she’s coming from a place of genuine personal understanding, not just parental obligation.
The birthday post said it all. Mel B’s Instagram tribute showcased Angel’s distinctive nose and lip piercings alongside warm, emotional captions. No carefully worded PR statement. Just a mum who’s proud of her son.
Eddie Murphy’s Response and Their Father-Son Relationship
Given how contentious Angel’s early years were in terms of Murphy’s initial denial of paternity, his current response says something meaningful. Eddie Murphy is described as fully supportive of Angel’s transition, with sources confirming that genuine love and the strength of family outweighed early misunderstandings.
Murphy is famously private about his personal life, and he hasn’t spoken publicly on this in his own words. But the silence here reads as deliberate respect rather than absence. Family insiders have confirmed support through the press, and that appears to be the level of engagement Murphy is comfortable with.
He currently has ten children in total. Murphy shares daughters Bria, Shayne, Audra, Zola Ivy, and Bella Zahra, plus his son Myles Mitchell, with ex-wife Nicole Mitchell. He’s also dad to son Christian with former partner Tamara Hood, and shares Angel Iris with Mel B. He welcomed daughter Izzy Oona in 2016 and son Max Charles in 2018 with wife Paige Butcher, whom he married in July 2024.
What’s Next for Angel?
At 18, Angel Iris Murphy Brown is doing what most 18-year-olds are doing, figuring it out. He’s got art school lined up, a passion for Japanese culture, a tight family support system, and the kind of self-assurance that comes from living authentically in a world that’s been watching since you were born.
Today, the visibility of Angel Iris Murphy Brown as a trans individual has made him an accidental role model for many young people navigating their own identities within the public eye. He didn’t set out to be one. He just changed his Instagram bio. But that’s sometimes all it takes.
He’s not chasing his parents’ spotlight. He’s building something of his own, quieter, more considered, and entirely his. That might be the most impressive thing about him.
FAQ: Angel Iris Murphy Brown
How old is Angel Iris Murphy Brown? Angel Iris Murphy officially turned 18 on April 3, 2025.
Who are Angel’s parents? His parents are Eddie Murphy, the comedian and actor best known for Beverly Hills Cop and the Shrek franchise, and Melanie “Mel B” Brown, formerly Scary Spice of the Spice Girls.
Has Angel come out as transgender? Yes. Angel Iris Murphy Brown has changed his pronouns to “he/him” and is publicly living as a transgender man, with the full support of both his parents.
What is Angel interested in? Following his school exams in 2023, Mel B celebrated Angel’s acceptance into art school. He has also developed a strong passion for Japanese culture and language.
Did Eddie Murphy initially deny being Angel’s father? Yes. Murphy initially denied paternity, but a DNA test later confirmed he is Angel’s biological father. Their relationship has significantly improved over the years.
