Johannesburg - It’s Oprah, but quite unlike you’ve seen her before.
The talk show queen has signed up to play a tough brothel-running granny in the upcoming film about the life of the late comedian Richard Pryor.
Winfrey will play Marie Carter, Pryor’s grandmother, who raised him at her brothel in Illinois. Pryor’s mother worked at the brothel before she abandoned her son at the age of 10.
According to Pryor’s widow, Jennifer, Oprah was keen to land the role after reading the script. On Sunday, Oprah posted an instagram pic of herself with director Lee Daniels and actor Mike Epps.
“@theoriginalbigdaddy , @eppsie , and me just finished a great 1st read session. #RichardPryorMovie,” she wrote. Oprah previously worked with Daniels on his 2013 film The Butler. Epps will play Pryor, having seen off stern competition for the role from the likes of Nick Cannon, Marlon Wayans and Michael B Jordan.
The role of Pryor’s wife is still under discussion, but according to Entertainment Tonight, Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson appear to be the favourites.
Richard Pryor is a comedy legend – his stand up routines were Grammy-winning comedy albums, and he also made a name for himself on the big screen in movies like Car Wash and Silver Streak. Pryor, who battled drug addiction throughout his professional career, died of a heart attack in 2005. - Tonight Reporter