Cool News
Eddie Murphy To Star In Richard Pryor Biopic For Writer-Director Bill Condon!!!
Beaks here...
In his concert film RAW, Eddie Murphy does a killer bit about trying to emulate his stand-up comedy hero, Richard Pryor, at the age of fifteen, and how his material was limited due to his decided lack of life experiences. "My whole act back then was about taking a shit because that's all I had done at fifteen." If you've never seen it, go find it. (I won't embed or link to it here because RAW is a Paramount title. It'll just be disappeared within the hour.)
The entire routine is quotable, but the key line is this: "I wanted to be Richard so bad." Well, Eddie, now you are.
HitFix and Entertainment Weekly are reporting that Fox Searchlight will finance Bill Condon's $25 million biopic RICHARD PRYOR: IS IT SOMETHING I SAID?, for which Murphy will waive his usual eight-figure fee in order to play his lifelong idol. According to HitFix, Condon's screenplay also features significant roles for Pryor's four wives and Redd Foxx. Murphy as Pryor is mindblowing enough; I don't know who the hell you get for Foxx.
This is a fascinating development for several reasons. I don't know where things stood when Pryor passed, but he definitely had a complicated relationship with the young superstar. Murphy, however, was always quick to praise Pryor, so I'm sure he will throw his considerable talents into doing right by the man many consider the greatest stand-up comedian of all time.
If all goes according to plan, the film will begin production this summer and hit theaters in 2010. I cannot wait to see how this turns out. And if this knocks Condon out of producing next year's Oscars (after delivering the most entertaining broadcast I've ever seen), I hope they at least bring back Laurence Mark and Hugh Jackman for another go-round.
According to talkbacker "Zeeglo", EDDIE MURPHY RAW is up at Hulu. Here's an embed.
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Dammit, I want a BHC IV, but only if it's made in the spirit of the 1st one... not that god awful 3rd one.
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Wait, scratch that.
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Give him that Oscar he missed in Dreamgirls, and keep him out of garbage like Meet Dave.
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That doesn't even make sense.
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Yeah, have a coke and a smile and shut the fuck up!
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He must figure this is the place to get his.
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Now all we need is a rain of fire and a plague of locusts and judgement day will be here....
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Hopefully he doesn't blow it.
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Oscar. The casting is inspired. After Eddies turn in Dreamgirls, hollywoods love of a career comback, and the acadamey's penchant for giving oscars to Bio-pic, if handled right this could be the next "Ray".
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we had the same exact thought lol.
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Best stand up set ever. Tell that mother fucker to have a coke and a smile and shut the fuck up!
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Should be interesting.
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http://tinyurl.com/c28n87 It's from their press tour of South Korea and Abrams was quoted as saying this: "We made this film not for Trekkies but for future fans of Star Trek. The studio wanted to give the film a fresh start and I was originally brought in as a producer, but upon reading the script, I saw so much potential and possibility that the original had failed to realize due to technological constraints so I got very greedy and I decided to direct it myself."
Any coincidence he said this on the other side of the world? -
I'M COMING, ELIZABETH
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No one can play him like Eddie will.
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Charlotte Lewis can show her boobies this time.
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Lets see what he does with the role.
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Bit tall but he's got that old man walk down.
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Feb 26, 2009 8:16:56 PM CST
Hey whats this: *waves lit matchstick left to right*
by blindambition238
It's Richard Pryor running down the street!
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Sorry... I can't type that enough!
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There's no fat suit for this one!
(He'll back out as soon as his agent breaks the news) -
Huh? What do ya think!
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period
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Robert Downey Jr. as Redd Foxx.
Another Supporting Actor Nod. -
Fuck you!Fuck you Eddie.Suck my dick.His stand up was so funny.Gay Honeymooners and Capt. Kirk having sex had me ROTFL.
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CANT WAIT!
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Jamie Foxx would NAIL Redd Foxx. Thank God Eddie Murphy night actually be in a decent movie for the first time since Bowfinger.
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When was anyone last excited about an upcoming Eddie Murphy film? Here is a guy who is sooo funny. In the nineties he got his a$$ kicked by Jim Carrey, Ben Stiller and now in the 2000's. Judd, Will, Sacha etc.
Eddie's tipping point was Harlem Nights. Richard was a little upset with Eddie over that because Eddie promised him a hit. Harlem Night was a massive flop. Not Pluto Nash huge yet huge enough. -
Then again wasn't he retiring?
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http://www.hulu.com/watch/30796/eddie-murphy-raw
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I am bitter after nearly 20 years of shitty movies, bad career choices fat jokes, fart jokes, kid movies, and Eddie basically telling his fans to fuck off.
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and Eddie Murphy as all 4 wives.
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and make it PG-13!
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google a pic of a young red foxx and put it up next to a pic of ejiofor. the resemblance is there and he's got the chops to play this part. plus i would think he'd be considerably cheaper than a lot of the other names that come to mind.
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i thought he was the new riddler
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...he's buried himself in fat suits.
That siad this does sound kinda cool. There is a but of an age difference, but it's probably negligible depending on where the focus is and of course with...MAKE UP! -
run down the street in slow motion
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I'm sorry...eight figure fee?
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Only Richard Pryor can do Richard Pryor. WTF is he thinking????
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Wow. The question is: Will he go back to the Daddy Day Care franchise after this is done?
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That's Great. Has his hands in everything he shouldn't.
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that speaks volumes. eddie has found something he feels strongly about, and obviously has ties with. good for him. maybe this will bring his career back into balance, and energize him to find that eddie disappeared in the 90's and since. i don't hate the man, so i really wish him well on this one
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That's a great idea. I bow to your wisdom Itto
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and I second the notion that no one can be Red Foxx realistically. Murphy can do a decent Pryor, but still.also, Red Foxx worked at the same restaurant as a dishwasher with Malcolm X, fun fact! Malcolm X started calling him "Chicago Red" because of his dyed hair, and the name stuck!
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I mean he doesn't look like him at all. No one does. But to have someone that huge play someone that huge is well, kinda huge.
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Jamie Fox IS Redd Foxx
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Eddie Murphy to play Richard Pryor? Seriously? That's like asking Eva Mendes to play Janis Joplin.
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but Eddie is the better actor (depending on the material of course)
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if they won't use Englund, then that is the only other way I could see it working.
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He has a baaad rep in town. His walk out when Arkin won pretty much killed any chance of it. that's the word
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was part of the last really good cast SNL had. I've always been a fan of his.This is just the project he needs to put him right back up there. I look forward to it.
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Feb 26, 2009 10:16:32 PM CST
That is the most shocking, inappropriate news I've read all week
by mrd
Eddie Murphy normally commands an EIGHT FIGURE ($10m+) salary? For what? Norbit? Meet Dave? Daddy ****ing Day Care? This guy should be on the late-80s Travolta meal plan, not default eight figure salaries.
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Try Terrence Howard to Don Cheadle when Iron Man 2 comes out and say that again!
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Just sayin'.
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but what's an extra L, eh?
Shia as Gene Wilder. Beyonce as Gilda Radner. JJ Walker as Eddie Murphy. Steve Carrell as Joe Piscopo.
And Mickey Rourke as the President. -
Can't wait for this. Also can't believe no one thought of it sooner!
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with murphy playing pryors role...that would be awesome...computers are all the rave these days
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I'm coming to join ya, brother!
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First thing I thought when I read this was Eddie really wants an Oscar, and what a weird choice of actor.
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...maybe not.
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When Pryor was still alive he personally chose Mike Epps to play him in an adaptation of his book PRYOR CONVICTIONS. It was supposed to be directed by Walter Hill, who actually knew Pryor. I know Eddie Murphy was once a great comedian but I don't know if I can ever accept him as Richard Pryor. Not even just because he looks and sounds so different but because he's an icon himself and other than wearing fat suits has never shown himself to be a chameleon type of actor.
But at least they got the director of CANDYMAN 2: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH. I don't know, I would love for it to be good but I am skeptical. At least we'll always have JOJO DANCER. -
my pops looks just like redd,they actually peeled potatoes at a place in harlem when they were kids,they looked so much alike,they were always gettin mistaken for 1 another,my pops was almost stabbed one night after work by a jealous husband ..redd had boned the guys wife:) true story
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Search your feelings.
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Damon Wayne used to do a good Red Foxx on In Living Color.
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Pryor was so fucking amazing.
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This is the thing I've been waiting for. For Eddie to take on a huge role like that to make a comeback. If he finds his roots maybe we will get the Murphy we love back. He can't help but take this seriously, right? ...Right?
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but I'm sure he wouldn't be interested.
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I hope he improvises every scene and talks about his black ass.
Heh heh,his black ass.Wonderful Murphy.
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Eddie seems a little old to play Richard in a biopic that covers his rise to fame or anything like that... could this just be about the older Pryor?
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since Condon last directed Murphy to a nominated role, it shows that if it's with a good directior and material he's passionate about he can do it, we'll see though
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"I'm comin' Elizabeth!!!"
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That'd be cool to see. But, ya know, what else can Condon, talented as he is, do with the standard biopic format? There's no where else to go with it, unless you do a snap-shot in time like Frost/Nixon rather than the familiar rise from poverty, great fame and downfall from drug abuse storyline we've all come to know and was parodied well in WALK HARD.
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all these actors being sugestd for red foxx is wrong. the reason he was called red is because he's so lightskin.
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Man he was at the top of this game back in the 80's.
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Truth is that Eddie died a long time ago. Truth is Eddie just wants a big paycheck and to feed his ego. The ten years that he was on his game was almost unparalled brilliance...
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He'll have no problem pulling off Richard Pryor's mannerisms. Also, I'm sure they'll hire one hell of a make up artists that would help Eddie's transformation into Richard more seamless.
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Feb 27, 2009 12:01:26 AM CST
We should all be glad that WILL SMITH is not in the lead!
by bob cryptonight
I'm surprised Hollywood didn't rope him in.
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...it is usually a very very bad choice.
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Alvin York handpicked Gary Cooper to play him w/ fairly good results in Sgt. York.
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It's not too late for a casting change!
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When they do the bit about Superman 3.
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Striking resemblance.
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yep.
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And Eddie Murphy's Michael Jackson impression is so hilariously off. But still funny. I can't stop laughing.
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Just get a great director who'll knock Murphy into shape every day. Push him to heights he hasn't reached since the first 48 HOURS. In fact fuck it... get Walter Hill to direct it.
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cuz you on the welfare!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JfMCBh1sJQ
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After all, color doesn't matter.
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Mike Epps would have been PERFECT if he just lost a little weight. Pryor wasn't a big man by any means.
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Also Jaime Foxx as Redd Foxx
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nutty professor 4 - even nuttier
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That crazy S.O.B. plans to don stilts to play our beloved Lincoln. Apparently, Cruise is a big fan of "Honest Abe"- the sole qualification needed to act as someone in a biopic.
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Comedy gold
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...but fuck it. There isn't a single announcement in that article I dislike.
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...Thats all I can offer on this. Hmmm. I hope they don't pull a Lenny and essentially give us a 2 hour stand up routine. I read thats what Crowe wants to do with Hicks too.
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let's hope they pull it off
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Has any Black man ever been considered or casted to play a White guy in a autobiography? No, so please shut the fuck up. If the character isn't bound to his ethnicity then it doesn't matter what's the race of the motherfucker who is playing him. You dickwads are taking it way to serious regarding Black Actors rumored to play comic book characters.
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Picture, Director, Actor and Supporting Actor if they go for Sacha Baron Cohen or Will Ferrell as Gene Wilder - which would be überkool
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If they considered casting a Black guy for Thor, then I'll be right along bitching with you. But they're not, I can't believe you're still sour over a throw away character like Nick Fury.
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produced and directed by Michael Bay. Fucking professional.
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It just seems that Eddie Murphy is too much of an iconic actor/comedian himself to play this role. I don't believe people will be able to see past "Eddie Murphy" to see "Richard Pryor".
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Please try to avoid posting clips that are only available in one country. What is happening to the internet?
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This might have been a good movie 25 years ago but not I'm really into the idea of seeing Eddie Murphy doing this now. Plus he can't play Pryor as a young man because he's too old now unless they pull some high tech Benjy Button shit.
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Eddie Murphy = meh
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Actually, even a gay porn movie made with crack addicts would be a worthy follow-up to MEET DAVE, but...bravo, Mr. Murphy!
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Oscar well that's the stupidest shit i've heard in a long time! They all want a fucking shot at winning that motherfucker! And none of you know or realize how talented Eddie always was and how great he was in Dreamgirls. I really thought he was the one that should have won and not an American Idol contestant. Does he have a giant ego? Of course but they all do when they get that big. He was fantastic in the "Marvin Gaye" type in that film!
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Eddie Murphy has not made a good film since Coming to America (except for Bowfinger, which was all Martin and Oz) and he still commands an eight figure salary? Fuck off Murphy.
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Feb 27, 2009 4:14:22 AM CST
Wasn't this an Eddie Griffin project? Will Rick Baker do makeups
by monkey_king
Sounds like it could work. Murphy needs a much needed shot of adrenaline in his career after 5+ years of stinkers. Perhaps Rick Baker could transform a sound-alike actor, who's the right height, into Redd Foxx.
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When half that shit go back up in yo ass?
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If they cover Harlem Nights in the this biopic
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Get that guy from Bill and Ted! Now there's a franchise worthy of a sequel.
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Fuck you, Gus.
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Hasn't happened in ages. Could be brilliant!
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....................
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Remember his comeback in the Nutty Professor? Where did that get him. I love Richard Pryor but I could care less about this film. Biopicks are starting to become a cliche genre. A little childhood tragedy and a couple of famous historical footnotes and you're done. The exception is The Notorious Betty Page, which was easily better than Walk the Line or Ray combined.
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So how long until Jamie Foxx gets a "co-starring" role in this movie...
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HAR!
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This should be the title.
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too bad- he would have been better
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Eye lyked teh ferst too moveys
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stand up movies of all time. I miss old school Eddie.
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Raw is without a doubt hilarious and Delirious has its moments. Too bad that was two decades ago.
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Eddie Murphy's standup is awful crap. Even mentioning Murphy in the same sentence as Pryor is blasphemy.
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ROLE. I like Eddie and his talents but I think portraying Pryor is a stretch beyond the imagination. I honestly don't thin Pryor's life is that interesting for a film. Jo JO Dancer wasn't enough? I'm not looking forward to this film at all.
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He is the anti-matter of humor.
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Delirious and Raw are funny. Not quite Pryor funny, but funny enough.
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Eddie is a huge talent that has so frequently signed on to do horrible shit. I would love to see him work with Condon in a way that Scorese and De Niro collaborated.
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But its a great gig.
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I just sat here and watched "Raw" in its entirety. Haven't seen it in years, and it's still funny as hell.
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I hope he nails this part and with Condon being the director that has made the best film Murphy starred in in years, I have a good feeling about this.
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"nnngghhh...AHM MISTA TEE...nnngghh...BENDOVER, LEMME SNAP MY DICK OFF IN YO ASS...nnnggghh.."
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Who will play Eddie Murphy in the Harlem Nights part of the flick?...oh wait..CHARLIE MURPHY!!!!
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'Touch me, touch me, I want to feel your body, your heartbeat next to mine....touch me, touch me NOW'
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My lifelong (at least since Vampire in Brooklyn)dream is close to reality!
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Hands down.
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For that Donkey in Shrek? Complete bullshit! I could do that role 50x better for just around 6 figures.
I'm not even kidding. -
Here's my point. In Robert Evans "The Kid Stays in the Picture" Evans son told his dad that "The Cotton Club", were it ever to star Evans' intended lead actor (Pryor), it would simply become a Richard Pryor movie.
If Murphy stars in this biopic as Pryor, then it simply becomes an Eddie Murphy picture. He's way too well known as "Eddie Murphy" to be portray someone else as well known as he is, hence I think this is a bad idea. -
I bet he would love to do that
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Eddie Murphy playing Richard Pryor talking to someone playing Eddie Murphy.
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http://upload.moldova.org/movie/actors/j/jeffrey_wright/thumbnails/tn2_jeffrey_wright_4.jpg
It's all right there, baby. Funny, I was just watching 'Dreamgirls' a few weeks ago for the first time, and I was saying to myself, "This is the best role Eddie's ever going to get; if he didn't win an Oscar for this, he never will." Well, this is the ONE project that he might have one more chance at the Golden Boy with, especially with Bill Condon at the helm. I guarantee you he knows it; and I guarantee you that Condon told him the same god-damn thing. This is pretty much Murphy's last chance at redemption, which is why you get this PR about "foregoing his usual salary" whether it's true or not. One great but extremely troubled comedian playing another great, extremely troubled comedian (though, aren't all the great ones 'extremely troubled'?) I hope and think this will be fascinating to watch. Oh, and JEFFREY WRIGHT for Red Foxx! And uh...Gene Wilder for Gene Wilder!! -
Great news, I think Murphy will do Pryor justice.
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Will they include the scene where pryor was high on crack and set himself on fire in LA or whereever that event took place. or will this be a touchy feely biopic with a dollop of sentimentality. you can take it that this will be produced by his daughter Rainn Pryor. Who is going to play Gene Wilder. in the biopic of eddie Murphy, will they include the scene where Murphy drove john landis to drink on the set of Trading places.?
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as along as he doesnt make Norbert 2 or meet dave 2. He was all set up to win his oscar for Dreamgirls. Then along came norbert and the rest is histoy.
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I have very mixed feelings about the henson biopic. I want to see it. But i just dont know, how I feel about it.
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was the funniest thing in the entire movie. even though he didnt have many scenes. I laughed myself sick when he was on screen.
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Feb 28, 2009 2:40:32 PM CST
Great comics like Eddie become unfunny because they believe in t
by romanocc
Eddie Murphy was king in the 80's, but the guy hasn't made a great film since Coming to America. 48 Hours, Trading Places, Bev Hills Cop, classics, and then something happened to him after directing Harlem Shuffle that they think ANYTHING they say will be funny, and they lose that edge. Jim Carrey is the same way these days, he started off like gangbusters with Ace, Dumb & Dumber and the underrated Cable Guy, but somehow lost that edge. And then Chevy Chase: Caddyshack, Vacation, Fletch, and now the most unfunny man alive! I see these guys go on talk shows and just feel anything that comes out of their mouth people will laugh hysterically and end up being lame comedians in their 40's. George Carlin was one of the few comedians who never lost that edge and stayed funny up to his death.
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I agree. I saw nearly all of those of those films you mentioned. There is one word missing from this talkback to describe what happened to Murphy and that is Ego. after trading places, I think it was trading places, landis vowed never to work with Murphy again.
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by Murphy. Murphy was a bullying control freak. Murphy's character in bowfinger, the arroagant, demanding, sex addicted actor is very close to the truth.
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Will they include the part where Pryor lights himself on fire? The way he described it when he was on at the Sunset Strip was one of the funniest things I ever heard.
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for the Pryor bio (Sean Penn scooped the Oscar as soon as he signed for the title role in MILK). As for Dane Cook, this guy should be exiled to cameos on THE TIM & ERIC SHOW.
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The biopic of James Brown? It was announced after his death but nothing has come of it. Has the project been scrapped?
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Anyone who thinks Murphy can't play Pryor, you must be 20-something or young, and/or never seen Delirious or Raw. He does the best Pryor, both the pitch and tone AND the particular inflections Pryor used. This man LIVED Richard Pryor for years. Who do you want, one of the Wayans?! This ain't Requiem For A Dream. Ludicrous? He's good, but he's not Pryor biopic good. And Murphy is still gold when he wants to be. And for you who thinks Murphy's done nothing since Bowfinger, Dreamgirls was pretty damn good, and Murphy was excellent in it. As for Jim Carrey, he got out of the comedy box and started doing drama. He's not bad, either, in the right role (ESOTSM). And I thought Yes Man was hilarious.
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