Watch Footage From Marlon Wayans' Richard Pryor Audition Tape

By Tambay A. Obenson | Shadow and ActFebruary 23, 2015 at 10:58AM

Marlon Wayans as Richard Pryor - Still from audition footage

The role now belongs to Mike Epps, in a project that will be directed by Lee Daniels, with Oprah Winfrey also attached to play Richard Pryor's grandmother. But, at one time, Marlon Wayans was to play Pryor in a film that Chris Rock was on-board to produce; this was in 2010, when Rock shared his enthusiasm for the project, and just how blown away he was by Marlons' audition tape.

Might this be footage from the tape that Rock and company watched, that blew them away?

Thanks to reader "Dave," here's footage from Wayans' Richard Pryor audition tape, made with the contributions of Omar Epps.

Clips below:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-footage-from-marlon-wayans-richard-pryor-audition-tape-20150223

Thanks for posting this. I have heard about this clip for years and heard a bunch of heads (including Eddie Murphy) were blown away from Marlon's audition.

....he looks more like Gil Scott Heron than Richard.

My favorite Wayans Brother, Marlon. Loved him in White Chicks.

wildgoldenhoney said:

My favorite Wayans Brother, Marlon. Loved him in White Chicks.

Have u ever seen Marlon live in standup?

This guy is seriously underrated as a comic.

Graycap23 said:

wildgoldenhoney said:

My favorite Wayans Brother, Marlon. Loved him in White Chicks.

Have u ever seen Marlon live in standup?

This guy is seriously underrated as a comic.

No I haven't. But I know that he is very funny, funnier than his brothers.

wildgoldenhoney said:

Graycap23 said:

Have u ever seen Marlon live in standup?

This guy is seriously underrated as a comic.

No I haven't. But I know that he is very funny, funnier than his brothers.

In film

Damon

Keenen

Marlon

Shawn

In stand up

Damon

Keenen

Shawn

Marlon

LittleBLUECorvette said:

wildgoldenhoney said:

No I haven't. But I know that he is very funny, funnier than his brothers.

In film

Damon

Keenen

Marlon

Shawn

In stand up

Damon

Keenen

Shawn

Marlon

Naw...........Marlon in stand up and marlon in acting. Dude just has had the roles 2 prove his skill set.

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

In film

Damon

Keenen

Marlon

Shawn

In stand up

Damon

Keenen

Shawn

Marlon

Naw...........Marlon in stand up and marlon in acting. Dude just has had the roles 2 prove his skill set.

*Damon is an all time great in the stand up world. I refuse to put little brother over him, lol. Damon was around killiog the club scene when Eddie was still doing stand up and Sam Kinison was still alive. He has four specials (three HBO and one comed central) and is currently working on one for HBO to premier later this year.

*Marlon got in the game late. I can't out him over any of the three who've been doing it for 30+ years (Shawn almost at 30 years.) Marlon just became a stand up in 2010.

*And this is coming from the biggest Wayans Bros fan probably on this site, lol.

*And by film, I meant more so comedy films, not acting roles. Marlon is actually the onbly one to go to school for acting.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Graycap23 said:

Naw...........Marlon in stand up and marlon in acting. Dude just has had the roles 2 prove his skill set.

*Damon is an all time great in the stand up world. I refuse to put little brother over him, lol. Damon was around killiog the club scene when Eddie was still doing stand up and Sam Kinison was still alive. He has four specials (three HBO and one comed central) and is currently working on one for HBO to premier later this year.

*Marlon got in the game late. I can't out him over any of the three who've been doing it for 30+ years (Shawn almost at 30 years.) Marlon just became a stand up in 2010.

*And this is coming from the biggest Wayans Bros fan probably on this site, lol.

*And by film, I meant more so comedy films, not acting roles. Marlon is actually the onbly one to go to school for acting.

I've seen them all live and otherwise.

Marlon has the most talent of all of them.

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

*Damon is an all time great in the stand up world. I refuse to put little brother over him, lol. Damon was around killiog the club scene when Eddie was still doing stand up and Sam Kinison was still alive. He has four specials (three HBO and one comed central) and is currently working on one for HBO to premier later this year.

*Marlon got in the game late. I can't out him over any of the three who've been doing it for 30+ years (Shawn almost at 30 years.) Marlon just became a stand up in 2010.

*And this is coming from the biggest Wayans Bros fan probably on this site, lol.

*And by film, I meant more so comedy films, not acting roles. Marlon is actually the onbly one to go to school for acting.

I've seen them all live and otherwise.

Marlon has the most talent of all of them.

Is anything Marlon done better than The Last Stand or Still Standing?

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Graycap23 said:

I've seen them all live and otherwise.

Marlon has the most talent of all of them.

Is anything Marlon done better than The Last Stand or Still Standing?

All I can tell u...........is go see Marlon live.

As far as I know, Marlon has never done a televised live set.

At least I haven't seen one.

I saw him live a few months ago and dude killed the set for over 2 hours straight.

Rarely can a comedian hold an audience's attention 4 that long.

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Is anything Marlon done better than The Last Stand or Still Standing?

All I can tell u...........is go see Marlon live.

As far as I know, Marlon has never done a televised live set.

At least I haven't seen one.

I saw him live a few months ago and dude killed the set for over 2 hours straight.

Rarely can a comedian hold an audience's attention 4 that long.

*Oh, I trust you. I have no doubt Marlon is funny. I'm just saying, I can't see him being funnier than big bro Damon. I've seen little snippets if Marlon live on youtube.

*Damon was one of the top stand ups in the country in the 80s and 90s in what people call, the stand up comedy boom period.

*He's not dethroning big bro that easily.

*There is also apparently a Wayans Bros stand up film that is in the works, featuring the four brothers.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Graycap23 said:

All I can tell u...........is go see Marlon live.

As far as I know, Marlon has never done a televised live set.

At least I haven't seen one.

I saw him live a few months ago and dude killed the set for over 2 hours straight.

Rarely can a comedian hold an audience's attention 4 that long.

*Oh, I trust you. I have no doubt Marlon is funny. I'm just saying, I can't see him being funnier than big bro Damon. I've seen little snippets if Marlon live on youtube.

*Damon was one of the top stand ups in the country in the 80s and 90s in what people call, the stand up comedy boom period.

*He's not dethroning big bro that easily.

*There is also apparently a Wayans Bros stand up film that is in the works, featuring the four brothers.

They have done a few places already..........in prep.

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

*Oh, I trust you. I have no doubt Marlon is funny. I'm just saying, I can't see him being funnier than big bro Damon. I've seen little snippets if Marlon live on youtube.

*Damon was one of the top stand ups in the country in the 80s and 90s in what people call, the stand up comedy boom period.

*He's not dethroning big bro that easily.

*There is also apparently a Wayans Bros stand up film that is in the works, featuring the four brothers.

They have done a few places already..........in prep.

*Have you seen Damon Jr live? He's pretty funny. I seen a set he did on Def Jam a few years back.

*Also, they have a niece Chaunte who does stand up.

*Kim used to do stand up back in the 80s also and reently had a one-woman show.

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

In film

Damon

Keenen

Marlon

Shawn

In stand up

Damon

Keenen

Shawn

Marlon

Naw...........Marlon in stand up and marlon in acting. Dude just has had the roles 2 prove his skill set.

Keenan, Keenan, and Keenan.

As far as the video, I'm undecided. I still think there are other actors who could pull it off.

For example, when Denzel played Malcolm we literally forgot that we were watching an actor because Denzel "became" Malcolm.

I'm looking for that kind of portrayal of Pryor....he deserves no less.

babynoz said:

Eddie Murphy would have been good 25 years ago.

Damon 20 years ago.

Eddie Griffin 15 years ago.

DL Hughley 10 years ago.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Eddie Murphy would have been good 25 years ago.

Damon 20 years ago.

Eddie Griffin 15 years ago.

DL Hughley 10 years ago.

Who in 2015?

Looks like Mike Epps, lol.

Marlon for 2010.

2020 DeRay Davis, lol.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Graycap23 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said: Who in 2015?

Looks like Mike Epps, lol.

Marlon for 2010.

2020 DeRay Davis, lol.

Does anybody know who else auditioned?

I like Epps and think that he has the comedic timing but lacks the edginess/grittiness for the role.

babynoz said:

The ONLY person that Lee Daniels should have cast is the one Bruh that wanted it BADLY and that's Nick Cannon..Nick looks more like Richard than any other actor that was considered for the role...I would've cast Rumor Willis to play Richard's wife....With all that being said I do like Mike Epps, his acting has always been decent and I predict he will shine and he'll be nominated for Awards...Lee Daniels greatest gift is having his actors reach into their Soul to pull off a performance...We're gonna see Mike Epps like NEVER before...

Chancellor said:

The ONLY person that Lee Daniels should have cast is the one Bruh that wanted it BADLY and that's Nick Cannon..Nick looks more like Richard than any other actor that was considered for the role...I would've cast Rumor Willis to play Richard's wife....With all that being said I do like Mike Epps, his acting has always been decent and I predict he will shine and he'll be nominated for Awards...Lee Daniels greatest gift is having his actors reach into their Soul to pull off a performance...We're gonna see Mike Epps like NEVER before...

I hope the u are correct. Richard deserves at least that.

The other thing that Mike has that Marlon doesn't is Richard's voice. In that "Omit The Logic" docu, Mike reads Richard's letters and he sounded just like him..I wanted so bad for Marlon to get the role but after seeing this clip...nah. Marlon is a great actor and can do comedy and drama as well but I wasn't feeling him as Daddy Rich. He didn't have that "Richard twang" in his voice as Mike has.

Marlon acting a fool.