Washington, Jan. 4 -- Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy has clarified the reasons behind his early departure from the 79th Academy Awards ceremony in 2007 after losing the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in the musical drama 'Dreamgirls', saying he wanted to avoid spending the rest of the evening receiving sympathy over the outcome, according to People.

Murphy, now 64, was considered one of the strongest contenders that year and had swept several major awards during the season for his portrayal of singer James "Thunder" Early in the musical drama. However, the Academy Award ultimately went to veteran actor Alan Arkin for his role as Edwin Hoover in 'Little Miss Sunshine'.

While promoting his Netflix documentary 'Being Eddi...