Mike Epps Is Playing Richard Pryor! (Tough Luck, Nick Cannon)

For months now, the word around the campfire has been that Nick Cannon was the odds-on favorite to play Richard Pryor in a biopic, a story that single-handedly depleted the world’s stockpile of groans. Cannon had reportedly started smoking, was learning to do things left-handed, and had even secured the blessing from Pryor’s son, possibly through witchcraft. Then last week, Deadline‘s scoop robot Mike Fleming reported that Mike Epps’ “explosive test” had suddenly made him the favorite to play Pryor in the Lee Daniels biopic, a role that had been previously been linked to Marlon Wayans, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Michael B. Jordan, and others.

Today Lee Daniels seems to have confirmed the Epps casting with this tweet:

Oh, and it was echoed by Oprah, who is apparently also involved with the film (which is being co-produced by Pryor’s widow, Jennifer).

It’s hard to say whether Oprah is acting or just producing at this point, but who knows, it’s Oprah. They’d let her act out the entire thing with sock puppets if she wanted to.

In any case, it seems like great news that Richard Pryor is being played by neither a Wayans brother nor a giant tool. They tricked Nick Cannon into getting addicted to cigarettes AND hired someone else to play Pryor? That’s some good hustle right there.

Anyway, now we can focus our attention on the more important issues, like the fact that the Richard Pryor biopic is being directed by the guy who filmed Nicole Kidman peeing on Zac Efron. I really think a dash of pure crazy like Lee Daniels is exactly what a biopic needs. Come to think of it, maybe they brought Oprah on as a special pee consultant.

[hat tip: Blackfilm]