As confirmed through a photo posted to Lee Daniels’ Twitter feed earlier this week, comedian Mike Epps will play the late iconic stand-up Richard Pryor in the forthcoming biopic directed by Daniels, and produced by media mogul Oprah Winfrey.
As Deadline reports, Epps claimed the role after a phenomenal audition that made it difficult to pass over the actor. He beat out several higher profile young actors, including Marlon Wayans (whom, according to TMZ’s, was the favorite choice of Pryor’s kids), Nick Cannon, and Fruitvale Station’s Michael B. Jordan. Additionally, Deadline has stated that both Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway have been auditioning alongside the potential Pryors, with the actresses being looked to for the role of Richard’s widow, Jennifer Lee Pryor.
Fans of the late Richard Pryor should be satiated by the selection of Mike Epps. Though many know of Epps through his roles in Next Friday and The Hangover, the actor has been a tireless standup comedian since 1989, first emerging on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam in 1995.
While previous versions of this biopic have fell apart (once with Epps in the lead role, and once again with Wayans), considering the power attached to the project, momentum seems to be building behind-the-scenes. Pryor’s widow is also attached as a producer on this production.
This will be Lee Daniels’ 5th feature as a director following last year’s The Butler.