It’s just not been his year!First his marriage to Mariah Carey fell apart and now, after months of campaigning, Nick Cannon has lost the lead in an upcoming movie about his idol Richard Pryor. The biopic’s director Lee Daniels announced that Mike Epps, 43, and not Nick, 33, will be playing the late comedian in an instagram posted on Saturday.
Daniels shared a smiling photo of his stars Epps and Oprah Winfrey (above) – who will portray Pryor’s grandmother Marie Carter – that was certain to send an arrow to Nick’s heart. ‘And we’re off… Get ready y’all for #richardpryor @eppsie @oprah,’ Daniels tweeted.
Nick had been very vocal about wanting to play Pryor, who died in 2005 following a heart attack, and even convinced the late stand-up comic’s son that he was right for the part. Despite growing out his hair and learning to smoke cigarettes with his left hand, Cannon was cast out and it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
They say when it rains, it pours. Take things easy, Nick!