Nicole Mitchell Murphy (born Nicole Mitchell; January 5, 1968) is an American fashion model, television personality, designer, actress, and businesswoman. She is best known for her international modelling career, 12 year marriage to comedian/actor Eddie Murphy, and participation on reality television show Hollywood Exes. She has also been credited as Nicole Mitchell, her maiden name, and Nicole Murphy (her ex-husband being Eddie Murphy).
Mitchell was born in Sacramento, California to Ellen, a British homemaker, and Eddie T. "Mitch" Mitchell, an African American United States Air Force pilot. Her parents had separated when she was a child (though they later reunited), and Nicole and her three brothers, Trevor, Nathan, and Darius were raised by their mother, Ellen.
Mitchell began her modelling career at age 13. Within a year, Nicole won an international modelling contest and signed with the Ford Modeling Agency and then subsequently to top Paris agency glamour models. Mitchell travelled to Europe and spent 7 years modelling for top design houses, including Chanel, Valentino, Yves St. Laurent, Ungaro, and more.