Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall claim Paramount forced casting of white actor in 'Coming to America'
Maurice was hired at McDowell's for a troubling reason.
Arsenio Hall and Eddie Murphy stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live as the powerhouse comedic duo continue to promote their long-awaited Coming to America sequel, Coming 2 America. About midway through the wide-ranging conversation, it came to light that Paramount Pictures "forced" them to cast stand-up comedian Louie Anderson as McDowell's employee Maurice in the original 1988 movie.
"I love Louie, but I think we were forced to put Louie in it," Hall said.
Murphy followed up: "Paramount was like—'cause the whole cast is Black, and this was back in the '80s, so it was like, 'We have to have a white person! We can't do—there has to be a white person in the movie.' So it was, who's the funniest white guy around? Then, Louie, we knew him, was cool with him. That's how Louie got in the movie."
Hall later added that he was presented a list of three white actors and asked who he would want to work with, but he wouldn't say who the two other candidates were.
In Coming to America, Prince Akeem (Murphy) and his loyal advisor Semmi (Hall) travel from fictional African nation Zamunda to Queens, New York, so Akeem can fall in love with a woman rather than settle for his arranged marriage back home. Along the way, the two get jobs at local restaurant McDowell's, where Maurice (Anderson) works.
Akeem falls in love with Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), daughter to restaurant owner Cleo McDowell (John Amos), and marries her back in Zamunda.
Coming 2 America, out via Amazon Prime Video on Friday, will pick up with Prince Akeem discovering he unknowingly fathered a son in New York City before he met and fell in love with Lisa. He and Semmi must return to Queens to find him and bring the heir back to Zamunda.
Three-time Emmy winner Anderson reprised his role as Maurice.
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