STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Oprah Winfrey to Play Richard Pryor's Grandmother in Biopic

Lee Daniels will direct, Mike Epps to star as iconic comedian.

Days after it was announced that Mike Epps had won the coveted role of Richard Pryor in Lee Daniels's upcoming biopic on the comedy legend, Oprah Winfrey has joined the cast of the film. The media mogul will play Pryor's grandmother, a brothel owner who raised the comedian after his mother left.
Winfrey and Daniels worked together last year in The Butler, which marked her return to acting after a long hiatus and for which she earned rave reviews as Forest Whitaker's wife. Winfrey will also appear in Ava DuVernay's civil rights drama Selma.
The OWN boss, who is close friends with Daniels, shared the news of Epps's casting on Instagram earlier this week. She also hinted in the post that she might be involved with the project as well.
While the long-awaited biopic seems to have a lot of A-list talent and momentum behind it, not everyone is happy about the production. Pryor's son Richard Pryor Jr. is seeking an injunction against the project, threatening legal action if the production moves forward. Pryor's widow Jennifer Lee Pryor is on board with the film and has given her consent. 
BET.com is your #1 source for Black celebrity news, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest in the world of hip hop and R&B music.
Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

(Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.