It’s been a long trip through development in order for a Richard Pryor biopic to get made, but it appears we’re closer than ever to it finally happening. Granted, I won’t believe it until cameras start rolling, as this project has been on the precipice of being a real thing before only for everything to collapse. However, Lee Daniels is moving ahead with his casting, believing this time will be different.
The latest addition to his roster – Tracy Morgan. The comedian, who is in the middle of a comeback following his recovery from the serious injuries he suffered in an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike in 2014, is in talks to play Redd Foxx, the legendary comedian who played a big role in the development of Pryor as a stand-up act. In the film, Foxx will be shown to have owned a local comedy club which became the launching pad for Pryor’s career. Foxx, of course, would later go on to star in the classic SANFORD & SON and had the chance to work with Pryor on the feature film HARLEM NIGHTS.
Foxx joins what already appears to be an all-star cast with Mike Epps portraying Pryor. Kate Hudson will serve as his widow Jennifer, with Eddie Murphy and Taraji P. Henson playing his parents. Lee Daniels even managed to convince Oprah Winfrey to take part, playing the woman who raised Pryor – his grandmother.
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