EDDIE MURPHY has joined the cast of director Lee Daniels’ Richard Pryor biopic, it has been claimed.
An excited Daniels apparently made the announcement on his Instagram page last week.
“Strap in and brace yourself,” Daniels wrote along with a picture of himself and Murphy. “They done let me and him out of our cages #idonteventhinkimreadyforthisone! #excited #proud #OMG”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Murphy will play Pryor’s father, LeRoy ‘Buck Carter’ Pryor, a boxer and WWII veteran.
Pryor, who will be played by fellow comedian Mike Epps, was raised by his grandmother and father and had a tumultuous childhood due to the abuse he suffered at the hands of both.
EXCITED: Lee Daniels and Eddie Murphy pose for an Instagram snap
Murphy has always credited Pryor as being one of the reasons he wanted to be a comedian. In 1987 stand-up show Raw, he paid homage to the late comic.
He said: “When I was young, I wanted to be Richard Pryor so bad I used to sneak in the basement, put his albums on, and just listen.”
Oprah Winfrey is rumoured to be taking on the role of Pryor’s grandmother.
Last year, it was announced that Epps had beat out competition from Nick Cannon and Marlon Wayans for the role of the much-loved entertainer.