Mel B and Eddie Murphy’s relationship ‘flourished’ co-parenting their trans son Angel, 18, who is revealed to have a girlfriend – years after the actor and dad of TEN denied he was the father in vicious paternity battle

by

In a positive shift, the previously complicated relationship between Mel B and her former partner Eddie Murphy has blossomed into effective co-parenting. This week, their shared child, Angel, disclosed that they have chosen to identify using different pronouns and are transitioning as a transgender man.

18-year-old individual, whose relationship status was acknowledged by a Spice Girl, found themselves under the scrutiny of public attention following the denial by the Nutty Professor actor (age 64) regarding fatherhood. This rejection sparked a contentious paternity dispute and prolonged periods of estrangement.

The individual formerly known as Angel, who was born female, recently updated their biographical details on their personal Instagram account and prefers to be addressed as ‘him’. It’s reported by TopMob that this teenager has received support for their decision from both parents.

50-year-old Mel told US Weekly last month: “[Angelina and Eddie] spend time together, they go on vacations together. He is a dedicated father with ten children. I believe, given the circumstances of my past abusive marriage to Stephen Belafonte, it was challenging for our relationship [with Eddie] to thrive, a situation he denies having occurred.

Spice Girl, also known as Scary Spice, who is now engaged to Rory McPhee, shared that she’s been gradually learning the ropes of co-parenting with the Shrek star. She added that their friendship has blossomed even more as their son has grown up.

To keep up with celebrity scandals, fashion blunders on the red carpet, must-see photos, and internet sensations, sign up for our DailyMail Showbiz newsletter!

Speaking to the publication about Angel, whom she called male a month before his trans identity was revealed, Mel said: ‘He traveled to Japan last year with his partner and fully immersed himself in the Japanese culture. He’s fluent in Japanese and has clear career goals and aspirations.’

Eddie has children from various relationships: Eric (ex-partner Paulette McNeely), Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola, and Bella (all with ex-wife Nicole Murphy); Christian (with ex Tamara Hood); and Izzy, 9, and Max, 6, with his current spouse Paige Butcher.

Mel and Eddie initially crossed paths at a gathering held at his luxurious Beverly Hills residence back in 2006. As per the songwriter of “Wannabe,” he had intended to host an extravagant dinner event specifically for her introduction. Upon their first glance, Mel expressed surprise because Eddie seemed to look at her with such striking familiarity that she felt as though she was gazing into the eyes of her soulmate.

The pair surprised fans by becoming an unexpected item, a relationship that seemed brief and sudden, only to later reveal that the artist – who already had a 26-year-old daughter named Phoenix with her former partner Jimmy Gulzar – was expecting another child.

Mel claimed that things took a turn for the worse when she got pregnant, prompting her to leave for Leeds, hoping Eddie would chase after her to reconcile. But during a television interview with a journalist, Eddie expressed doubt about being the father and suggested a paternity test might be necessary.

In his 2019 interview on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, Mel expressed: ‘[Eddie] still apologizes for that comment. He regrets saying it because that child was planned; we had planned the child together, and our love was intense, but things between us took a tragic turn for the worse.’

Looking back on our connection, she confided in the host: “There was a unique bond between us that I’ve never really experienced with anyone else. I thought it existed before, but it turned out to be false. His love was genuine. He is the one who holds the key to my heart. He always will. He taught me what real love truly feels like, and for that, I hold him in the highest esteem and regard.

In her 2018 memoir Brutally Honest, the pop star reiterated that their relationship lasted significantly longer and held deeper meaning than earlier portrayed. Moreover, she asserted that it was indeed her who initiated the DNA test so he could acknowledge their shared parenthood.

She added that Eddie significantly impacted her life, and their connection was so profound that they both got tattoos of each other’s autographs on their upper thighs at a tattoo studio in Hollywood.

While they spent time as a pair, Mel recounted that the star often showed classic Elvis films, such as Blazing Saddles, and reminisced about his youth in New York projects where he and his elder brother Charlie partially resided during foster care, an era when their mother was unwell.

‘He was fascinating to me. He’d had a life I couldn’t imagine,’ writes Mel.

While separated from his biological dad, Angel grew up under the care of his stepfather, Stephan Belfonte, who faced accusations of being abusive and domineering in their relationship.

In 2018, Andrea Brown, Mel’s mom, posted a troubling letter on Twitter, asserting that it had been penned by her ten-year-old daughter, Angel. The letter detailed alleged abuses by a film producer, as reported by the family.

Andrea posted a handwritten letter online, titling it “An urgent plea”, as the court case over Mel’s custody with Stephen unfolds.

A three-page missive outlines the alleged mistreatment experienced by the Spice Girls’ member, an account that her siblings Angel and others are said to have observed as well.

The letter indicated that Stephen had caused the family a great deal of distress, which was likened to a terrible nightmare. Moreover, it was suggested that Angel, who once referred to him as ‘Dad’, apparently did not wish to have any further contact with him.

The letter conveys: ‘Stephen scares me greatly, especially when he’s angry. It’s absolutely terrifying. I have no desire to encounter him again; it would feel like revisiting a distressing period in my life. The most troubling aspect of our shared past was my attempts to halt the quarrels and profanity. Whenever I attempted, he would dismiss me with ‘oh just be quiet’ and I would become so fearful that I wouldn’t utter another word.’

‘I was asleep in my mother’s room when suddenly, I heard a physical altercation happening. It seemed like Stephen was striking my mother’s hand, the noise indicated it was quite forceful. My mother mentioned that he had broken her nail, suggesting it was a strong blow.’

I feigned sleep as I didn’t want to intervene and get injured. I don’t wish to witness the man who inflicts pain on my mom, causing her to live in constant turmoil and misery.

The letter stated that at the age of five, Giselle, Stephen’s daughter, disclosed to Angel that Eddie Murphy was her father. It also mentioned that she felt incredibly proud of this fact, and shared a fantastic bond with her siblings, grandmother, and father Eddie Murphy.

The letter went on: ‘During my time with Stephen, the rules were extremely rigid. Rather than eating at the dining table, we had to eat our meals while seated on the floor. He argued we would create a mess on the table. I found myself pondering; if making a mess on the dinner table is inevitable, isn’t it just a matter of cleaning up? Why have a dining table if it’s not used for eating?’

Stephen never entered my room, and when I say ‘never,’ I truly mean it because he was always engrossed in his computer work. It’s delightful not to see him anymore. Now I reside in a gorgeous house, and while I used to long for a pet with Stephen around, guess what? I finally have the freedom to get one!

‘Now, I have two dogs and a goat! We can feast at a real dining table, and I get to spend time with my true father. I’ve taken up creating small picture books, and I no longer feel scared. I cherish seeing my real dad, and I loved witnessing my mother’s happiness instead of sadness! I implore you not to make me meet him again – a message from Angel.’

In the same year, Stephen, who has a shared daughter Madison (age 12) with him, sought permission for regular visits with Angel due to claims by his legal team that Eddie had shown no desire or interest in maintaining contact with their child.

I, Mel, mending my once-strained bond with my mom, Andrea, found healing post my breakup with Stephen, while carrying our precious Angel.

As an ardent admirer, let me share that Stephen firmly refutes the accusations levied by his former spouse, Mel, last year. In response, he took the proactive step of filing a defamation lawsuit amounting to £3.9million. Despite Mel’s legal team petitioning for the case to be dismissed, their plea was not granted, as reported by The Mirror.

Read More

2025-06-09 15:50