Marlon Wayans to play Richard Pryor

**ZION** · 10-07-2009

http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/10/07/ca...richard-pryor/

EW broke the news that Marlon Wayans is in talks to star in the biopic Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? Eddie Murphy had been in attached to the project when it was set up at Paramount (it’s now at Sony). The Wayans news took many by surprise, but it could be inspired casting – Marlon went to the original Fame high school and studied film and arts at Howard University before making a dramatic turn in Requiem for a Dream. He is, of course, better known for exploring his funny side with his brothers. For this role, he’ll need to be insanely funny as Pryor on-stage and also channel the demons of Pryor’s tragic personal life. As we reported, Wayans was said to blow away the producers with a 13-minute screen test transforming himself into Pryor.

Given the meaty nature of Pryor’s story, and writer/director Bill Condon’s track record (Dreamgirls, Gods and Monsters), if Wayans does a solid job this role has Oscar written all over it. If he does a bad job, there’s always White Chicks 2. So, do you think Wayans can pull off Pryor? If not him, who would you rather see taking the role?

**Lemmywinks** · 10-07-2009

I am interested in seeing Marlon Wayans take on this role I think he can do it. Other choices I have would be of course Eddie Murphy because he studied the man and does a perfect impression. Only other guy would be Chris Rock.