One thing people on the internet will do is debate a topic, even if there isn’t actually anything to argue over. Marlon Wayans’ screen test for a Richard Pryor biopic recently surfaced online, and some fans rallied behind Mike Epps as the person who should play the late comedian.
A screenwriter shared the leaked footage on X, including a little over two minutes of Wayans depicting the Peoria, Ill. legend. “The first scene, if you close your eyes, sounds just like Pryor,” one fan commented. “You will most likely have to watch the whole movie to wash out Marlon’s face from your mind and replace it with Richard. Like Denzel Washington for Malcolm X or Jamie Foxx for Ray Charles.”
The screenwriter replied, “His standup voice in this is spot on I think.” There were many mixed reviews for Wayans’ performance, which gave way for the Epps coalition to start boosting their guy. “Marlon Wayne Playing As Richard Pryor Instead Of Mike Epps,” one fan wrote with a clip of the classic The Breakfast Club interview where Safaree freestyled and Charlamagne Tha God said “Nah, that aint it, y’all.”
Another fan quoted Wayans’ clip and wrote “Sh*t look like [Marlon] playing Damon Wayans playing my drunk dad. They better get Mike Epps on the phone.” Another fan admitted he enjoyed Marlon’s performance, but there was a better choice. “Idk man. I like this but i still think Mike Epps is the man for the job.” One user created a criteria for why Epps deserved the role over Wayans. “You can’t play Richard Pryor if you’re not as funny as Richard Pryor,” they wrote. “Mike Epps not only looked like him back then but comedically was much closer to Richard Pryor than Marlon was.”
Here’s the thing: the screen test everyone is reacting to isn’t tied to any Richard Pryor biopic coming out soon. In fact, Wayans auditioned for the role back in 2010, and it was a completely different movie based on Pryor. A fan of Twitter confirmed that Epps got the role for the particular biopic they are well referencing, and a quick Google search revealed that the project has been in limbo since 2014 due to casting issues and an issue between Epps and Pryor’s widow. Lee Daniels was the director of that film, and Eddie Murphy and Damon Wayans were reportedly also involved.
Fortunately for fans interested in seeing a reimagining of the legendary actor’s life, Kenya Barris is currently working on a 10-episode series covering all of his experiences from birth until death. “It is my baby,” Barris told Variety. “I love it. He is my comedy god. A super flawed guy, but who everything, to this day, the comedy that we remember — even including [Dave] Chappelle — is derivative of what he started. That honest, reflecting, observational look at what the world is and the differences between us that actually make us more similar than we are apart.”
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