When it comes to taking over the role of one of the most iconic comedians in history; it takes a special kind of actor to be able to pull off the part perfectly. Just because you’re a funny man though doesn’t mean you’re able to step into the shoes of Richard Pryor.
Marlon Wayans though is apparently ready to take on the part that he considers to be like that of climbing Mount Klimanjaro.
“This is like an invitation to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for me, and I’ve never been more excited in my life than when I got the role,” he said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “I want to be in dramas, I want to produce, I want to write and I want to prove I can handle a role such as this one.”
Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? is set to start shooting this fall and will be directed by Bill Condon.
Jennifer Lee Pryor, Richard’s widow, is a part of the process in the making of the film and was under the same assumption that many others had for a long time…that Eddie Murphy would play Pryor. Murphy’s publicist Arnold Robinson let it be known that there were “differences on the creative front” leading to the partnership never coming into existence. There certainly seem to be no hard feelings though.
“Eddie thinks Marlon will be wonderful in the role and he’s given his blessing for Marlon to do it,” Robinson said. “He’s looking forward to seeing Marlon in the role.”
Wayans is ready to not necessarily out of the shadows of his over-the-top slapstick type comedy films, but wants to prove to the world that he can do a lot more than that.
“Look, I want to be able to make the stupidest movies ever, because they make people laugh and they make money,” Wayans said. “But that’s not all I want to do. And I think I’ve proven to some people — the ones paying attention — that I can do more. Everybody else, well, they can wait and see and make up their mind.”
There is no set release date yet for the film, but is assumed that it will be hitting theaters sometime in 2011.
Credit: LA Times
