Marlon Wayans says he can pull off playing Richard Pryor.
A biopic about the late, great comedian and actor has been in the works for years with no one attached to the starring role.
Wayans, who won critical acclaim for his dramatic turn in 2000’s Requiem for a Dream, is said to have wowed movie producer Harvey Weinstein during his screen test, but he faces some stiff competition. According to inside sources, newcomer Michael B. Jordan and legendary comedian and student of Pryor, Eddie Murphy, are also said to be in consideration for the role.
In an interview with The Grio, the 41-year-old Wayans says been preparing for this role for a while.
“I would love to play Pryor in a biopic,” Wayans says. “I’ve been on the circuit for three and a half years prepping for it … gathering the skill set to one day play that role. I hope it happens; but if it doesn’t, I believe completely in the journey and whatever happens is supposed to have happened … whether I get Pryor or not.”
Wayans goes on to talk about Pryor being an inspiration for his own stand-up comedy aspirations.
“Pryor brought me to the stage. I started doing stand-up. I’m better now. I’m smarter and more articulate. I work harder now. I know how to make people laugh because I know how to make people listen. I started out wanting to play a great, and now I fell in love with stand-up and I just want to be a great,” he says.
