Eddie Murphy to Play Richard Pryor – Perfect Casting?
February 27, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
I can’t think of anyone more suited to play Richard Pryor than Eddie Murphy. Murphy used to impersonate Pryor in his stand-up routines, and even cast him in his directorial effort, “Harlem Nights.”
Now Murphy is attached to play Pryor in a new film, "Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?" That title will likely change before the movie reaches theaters.
The drama’s been handed around to various studios, starting with The Weinstein Company, Paramount Pictures, and finally Fox Searchlight. Fresh off his exec-producer gig of last week’s 81st Academy Awards, Bill Condon is set to write and direct, while Mark Gordon will produce the pic.
The story will follow Pryor’s life, including his four wives (not yet cast), five Grammy awards for his concert albums, and drug problem. In 1980, he set himself on fire while freebasing cocaine and drinking 151 proof alcohol. That’s some serious addiction.
Production will start this summer for a 2010 release.
What about Comedy King Steve Harvey?
Even looks like Richard Pryor.
He is the best suited for the part when considering overall casting.
Eddie is a good actor. We have seen him in some pretty silly movies, but he has a great range. I mean to play Mr. Robinson, Buckwheat, Axel Foley, Quick, “Jiff” Ramsey, the Klumps…you get the picture. He can play a variety of roles. Plus he does a fantastic Richard Pryor imitation.
Aside from being funny, he has in the past shown some decent dramatic acting, but never really had the stage set to give us more than a touch of that here and there.
A movie like this would give him a chance to do some serious acting from the heart. The good thing is, Eddie loved Richard, and I don’t think he would take the role if he didn’t think he would do it justice.