Greenlight expected imminently

Eddie Murphy and Oprah Winfrey have joined the cast of the long-awaited Richard Pryor biopic.

Murphy, who had been touted to Pryor himself in earlier versions of his life story, will play the comedian’s father, LeRoy 'Buck Carter' Pryor, a former boxer and hustler.

And Oprah Winfrey will play Pryor’s violent grandmother, Marie Carter, who ran the brothel where he grew up, raising him after his mother, a prostitute who worked there, abandoned him at the age of ten.

Kate Hudson is also set to play Pryor’s widow, Jennifer Lee Pryor, who is heavily involved in the production of the movie.

It is being directed by Lee Daniels, who helmed The Butler, and stars stand-up Mike Epps as Pryor himself. Although the film has not officially been given the go-ahead yet, Hollywood industry website Deadline reports that producers The Weinstein Company 'is ready to greenlight' the project.

Filming is expected to begin in March.

Published: 29 Aug 2015