On May 2, 1997, Hollywood’s glossy facade briefly cracked when comedian and actor Eddie Murphy was stopped by police in West Hollywood. Behind the wheel of his black Toyota Land Cruiser, Murphy claimed he was simply offering a ride to a woman in need. That woman was Atisone “Shalomar” Seiuli — a transgender sex worker well known to the local community. Though no laws were broken, and no charges filed, the incident would explode across headlines, becoming a cautionary tale about fame, gender, and media ethics.

This is not a retelling of a scandal. It is an investigation into how the media’s portrayal of transgender individuals — particularly trans women of color — collided with the Hollywood celebrity machine, revealing biases that, for many, still remain dangerously unresolved.

 The Stop That Started It All

At around 4:45 a.m., Los Angeles police noticed Murphy’s SUV picking up Seiuli on Santa Monica Boulevard. According to official reports, Murphy was cooperative and polite. When questioned, he explained that he was simply being kind to someone he thought needed a ride home. No drugs were involved, no solicitations made, and both parties were released without further legal action.

But to the tabloids, the facts mattered little.

Headlines the next day screamed across newsstands: “Eddie and the Transvestite Hooker!”, “Nutty Professor Busted with Tranny!” The framing was brutal. Not only was Murphy’s reputation put under fire, but the woman involved was subjected to ridicule, objectification, and dehumanization. Transphobic slurs were used without hesitation in mainstream outlets. The media didn’t care about Seiuli as a human being — she was a punchline.

 Who Was Shalomar Seiuli?

Atisone Seiuli, known in the LA nightlife scene as Shalomar, was more than the headlines suggested. A Samoan-American trans woman, she had been part of the Los Angeles ballroom and drag performance scene. For many trans women of color in the 1990s, options were limited due to systemic discrimination in employment, housing, and healthcare — leading many, like Seiuli, into survival sex work.

Tragically, just a year after the Murphy incident, in April 1998, Seiuli died after falling from her apartment building while reportedly trying to climb into her locked home. The circumstances around her death were mysterious, and some community members have long suspected foul play, though it was ruled accidental. She was 21.

Her name faded from public memory, but for many in the transgender and LGBTQ+ community, her story remained a symbol of the costs of media exploitation and society’s disregard for trans lives.

What happened to Eddie Murphy in the press after May 2, 1997, was telling — but what happened to Seiuli was devastating.

In the 1990s, there was almost no public conversation about transgender rights or respect. The media freely used derogatory terms like “tranny” or “she-male,” reinforcing harmful stereotypes and contributing to public misunderstanding. Trans women — especially Black and brown trans women — were cast as deviant, deceitful, or dangerous.

Talk shows like Jerry Springer and Maury often invited trans guests only to pit them against angry boyfriends or hostile audiences, treating their identities as entertainment rather than as valid expressions of self.

The Eddie Murphy case gave the media exactly what it wanted: a celebrity, a sex worker, a trans woman, and a “scandal.” The truth became irrelevant.

Murphy’s Silence and the Damage Done

Murphy responded publicly only once. Through a spokesperson, he stated that he was “just being a good Samaritan.” He distanced himself from the situation, refused to engage with tabloid speculation, and maintained that he was not seeking sex.

The silence was, in many ways, strategic. As a Black male actor in the 1990s — a time when even heterosexual Black masculinity was policed and politicized in Hollywood — Murphy likely felt that defending or supporting Seiuli publicly could jeopardize his entire career.

Still, his lack of acknowledgment of her humanity, her identity, or her death left many LGBTQ+ advocates disappointed. It was a moment where allyship could have meant everything. Instead, Seiuli was left to face a hostile press alone.

The Bigger Picture — Transphobia in the Spotlight

The Murphy-Seiuli story is just one example of how trans people — particularly trans sex workers — have been misrepresented, vilified, or completely erased from public narratives. In the decades since, activists have pushed for more responsible media coverage, using platforms like GLAAD to call out transphobia and promote accurate representation.

 What Has Changed — and What Hasn’t

In 2025, the landscape has shifted — at least on the surface. Shows like Pose and Orange Is the New Black have brought complex, empowered trans characters into mainstream storytelling. High-profile trans celebrities like Laverne Cox and Angelica Ross have become vocal advocates for justice and inclusion.

And yet, many trans sex workers still face police harassment, lack of healthcare, and systemic violence. The media is more cautious with its language — but not always more respectful. Transphobia has simply become more coded, more politically “palatable.”

Would Shalomar Seiuli be treated differently if the same story happened today? Possibly. But until the intersection of race, gender, class, and media bias is truly addressed, the core issues remain.

Conclusion: More Than a Scandal

The story of Eddie Murphy and Shalomar Seiuli is not just tabloid fodder. It’s a case study in how the media constructs narratives that dehumanize marginalized people for profit. It’s about how fame provides protection to some — and strips others of their dignity.

More than two decades later, we must ask: Who gets to control the story? Whose voice is heard? And who gets left behind?