Lee Daniels’ Richard Pryor biopic continues to build its talented cast. As we previously reported, Mike Epps will star as the legendary comedian with Kate Hudson co-starring as his wife Jennifer Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Taraji P. Henson as his parents, and Oprah Winfreyas his grandmother, who was really the one who raised Pryor.
Now The Wrap reports that Tracy Morgan is in talks to play one of Pryor’s huge comic influences and mentors, Redd Foxx. Per The Wrap, “In the film, Foxx will be depicted as a brash comedian who owned a local comedy club and encouraged Pryor to open up in his act and embrace his culture. Foxx went on to star on the beloved 1970s TV sitcom Sanford and Son, and he worked with both Pryor and Murphy on the 1989 crime comedy Harlem Nights.” Hopefully, Murphy will not only give a strong supporting performance in the film, but also be a consultant of sorts to his fellow actors.
Filming on the Richard Pryor biopic is set to begin in March. And if you’re thinking that Morgan is coming out on the other side of his near-fatal car accident trying to be a dramatic actor, then you’re forgetting not only his excellent hosting gig on SNL last month, but he’s also co-starring with Ice Cube and Charlie Day in the comedy Fist Fight. But it’s great to see Morgan branch out, and I’m excited to see what he’ll bring to his portrayal of Foxx.
For more on Foxx, you can watch some of his stand-up below:
And here’s the trailer for Harlem Nights:
