This past weekend, it was announced that Mike Epps had landed the role of famed comedian Richard Pryor.
Now, Oprah is the latest to be cast in the upcoming biopic directed by Lee Daniels.
Oprah will star as Pryor’s grandmother, who raised the comedic genius in her Illinois brothel.
According to TMZ, Pryor’s widow, Jennifer confirmed the news, saying:
Oprah got hold of the script, and was desperate to play Marie Carter — the woman who raised Pryor in her brothel in Peoria, Illinois … and who was known to beat him. As we told you … Mike Epps scored the Pryor role.
We’re told Oprah really wanted to play Grandma Carter because she’s anxious to show her gritty side — after her ‘Butler’ performance — and let’s face it … there’s not much grittier than an abusive grandma running a whorehouse while raising a kid.
Pryor was abandoned by his mother, reportedly a prostitute, at the age of 10. It was at this point that the future comedian and his siblings were raised by Marie Carter.
While the film has been in development for quite some time, production for the film hasn’t yet started.
No word yet on an official release date!
