It was recently announced that Eddie Murphy will be portraying his comedic idol’s boxing father in Lee Daniels’ upcoming biopic.
If you’re an Eddie Murphy fanatic familiar with his Raw stand-up then you’ve heard him say:
“Richard [Pryor] is the one who made me want to do comedy. When I was young, I wanted to be Richard Pryor so bad … when I was 15 and talk and act and walk and everything like Richard Pryor.”
Entertainment Tonight revealed that Eddie Murphy was cast to play Leroy “Buck Carter” Pryor alongside fellow comedian Mike Epps, who will be playing the lead role of Richard Pryor. Other stars include Oprah Winfrey, portraying Pryor’s brothel-owning grandmother Marie Carter and Kate Hudson, who’ll be playing Richard’s fourth, seventh and final wife.
Three days ago Lee Daniels confirmed Eddie’s addition to the cast by posting a picture to his Instagram, featured above, with the caption”Strap in and brace yourself. They done let me and him out of our cages!” Much of Richard Pryor’s comedy routines were based on his interactions and relationship with his father, and it’s with that knowledge and knowledge of Eddie’s undying love for Richard Pryor that led Daniels to cast him as Pryor’s father. Eddie Murphy, who started out on Saturday Night Live, recently returned to SNL for the fist time since 1984 for the show’s 40th anniversary.
-Nishat Baig
