Coming to America is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis and based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, who also stars in the lead role. Great, Click the Allow Button Above Despite the experience, Landis and Murphy collaborated again six years later on Beverly Hills Cop III. Paramount Pictures provided a list of three white performers, and Murphy and Hall chose Louie Anderson because they knew him and liked him.[7]. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from. Who does Teyana Taylor play in Coming 2 America? When he gets to the altar, he realizes, along with audience, that his parents actually chose Lisa with whom he fell in love with back in Queens. RC: Because this was a continuation film as opposed to a remake, I wanted to move it through time by honoring the first movie while giving people another view of Coming to America. She is the first African-American woman to be an owner or partner in three professional sports franchises: the Washington Capitals (NHL), the Washington Wizards (NBA), and the Washington Mystics (WNBA). The pilot went unsold, but was televised on July 4, 1989, as part of the CBS Summer Playhouse pilot anthology series. "That's The Way It Is" by Mel & Kim had been released as a single in the UK, before the film's release, in February 1988, and became a top ten hit. Click to reveal for his work in 2006'sDreamgirls,and he was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2015. 1 day ago. After opening for iconic acts like Tina Turner and Wayne Newton, he went on to become the first African-American man to produce and host his own late-night show. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Few would have. "All Dressed Up (Ready to Hit the Town)" , "I Like It Like That" Michael Rodgers (4:01), This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 22:06. Blond . Paul Bates has a knack for classic film. [18], Recognized as a Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medalist in 2012, Johnson was honored as an individual whose far-reaching influence has made our world a better place. Murphy received a personal salary of $8 million for his work on the film, plus 15% of film rentals. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from POPSUGAR. Sheila Crump Johnson (born January 25, 1949) is an American businesswoman, co-founder of BET, CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, and the first billionaire African-American woman. Supercat 27. In 1987, Paramount began working on Coming to America based on a story by Eddie Murphy. After Darryl announces their engagementwithout Lisa's consentto their families, she starts dating Akeem, who claims that he comes from a family of poor goat herders. 40 followers. The film also co-stars Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, and John Amos. As the protective father to Lisa inComing to America, veteran actor John Amos had already enjoyed an illustrious career as a television actor, appearing throughout the '70s in shows likeMaude,Roots,Good Times,andThe Mary Tyler Moore Show. Coming to America (Home Ent. "[8] Murphy said: We had a tussling confrontation We didn't come to blows. After a dinner date with Lisa is thwarted when Semmi furnishes their apartment with a hot tub and other luxuries, Akeem confiscates his money and donates it to two homeless men. He became the face of blockbuster hits like Deep Blue Sea, A Time to Kill, and Marvels cinematic universe, establishing him as one of our generations greatest actors. Paramount cancelled press screenings of the film after initial negative reactions to a press screening in New York City. "He's my kid's godfather and he's a really close friend. In a fun and trivia-worthy turn of events, Sinclair also voicedSarabi in the originalLion King opposite Jones' Mufasa. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Check out a selection of tweets: Its Teyana Taylor in Coming 2 America for me , Teyana Taylor looked so good in Coming 2 America, teyana taylor look SOOO GOOD OMG always but these looks in coming 2 america 2 are top tier, Coming 2 America was soooo good ! [24], Coming to America was released on DVD on June 3, 2008. "Coming To America," released in 1988, introduced a generation to the idealistic Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy), who hailed from the mythical African nation of Zamunda, in search of a bride he was actually in love with. Cuba Gooding Jr.'s role in Coming to America, credited as "Boy Getting Haircut," was one of the Oscar winner's first: He provided the pivotal foil against which comedians Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall both in wacky disguises soared. An African prince goes to Queens, New York City to find a wife whom he can respect for her intelligence and will. Gooding went on to wow audiences and critics alike with his Oscar-winning turn in Jerry Maguire, and has since appeared in several high-profile films (as well asNorbit, also with Eddie Murphy), and earned an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of O.J. Cleo initially disapproves of Akeem, as he believes he is poor and therefore not good enough for his daughter. The Oscar nominee is proud of what Coming to America, released in 1988, meant to many. Allison Dean as Patrice McDowell, Cleo's younger daughter and Lisa's sister. [6] A segment of the Trading Places score can be heard during their scene. Before Coming to America was even conceived, Jones was an established, iconic voice within the industry. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Her father was a neurosurgeon, and her mother was an accountant. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The jingle for the commercial for the fictional product Soul Glo was composed by Nile Rodgers, who has suggested it is his "proudest moment". "Usually when we're telling our stories, it's about civil unrest or local problems. Akeem's attempts to win Lisa's love are complicated by Lisa's lazy and obnoxious boyfriend, Darryl Jenks, whose father owns Soul Glo (a Jheri curllike hairstyling aid). 1 day ago, by Njera Perkins The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. As previously indicated, Coming to America features Murphy and Hall in several different roles, of different races and genders. PS: What are the differences, if any, between the fashion of Zamunda vs. Wakanda? Johnson is CEO of Salamander Hospitality, a company she founded in 2005. Ms. Johnson is an. [16], In April 2010, Johnson condemned Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell for his proclamation honoring Confederate History Month because it omitted any reference to slavery. She is the daughter of General Izzi, who is played by Wesley Snipes. [1] [3] [4] Reception Coming To America received positive reviews upon release. "[11], After her divorce from Robert L. Johnson in 2002, she was estimated to be worth about $670 million. [7] She sits on the boards of VH1's Save the Music Foundation,[8] Americans for the Arts,[9] the Curry School of Education Foundation at the University of Virginia, and the University of Illinois Foundation. When Samuel L. Jackson was first cast in Coming to America, he was just getting his footing in the film world, making a brief cameo as the hilarious Hold-Up Man who attempted to rob the McDowells restaurant. I didn't like the way women were being portrayed in these videos. All images were fairly used during. [19] In 2018, Johnson received the Lincoln Medal which is given by Fords Theatre Society to those who, through their body of work, accomplishments or personal attributes, exemplify the lasting legacy and mettle of character embodied by Abraham Lincoln. "It was the very first comedy with an [almost] all-Black cast that was successful around the world," he told PEOPLE. [10][11] The film debuted at number one with $21,404,420 from 2,064 screens, for a five-day total of $28,409,497. For her stellar work, Headley was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series. Arsenio Halls post-Coming to America career was filled with boundary-breaking achievements. Such efforts as Trading Places and Beverly Hills Cop were praised and have gone on to become classics. Murphy received his only Oscar nomination (thus far!) that is signature Coming to America; I wanted to maintain that. The Oscar nominee is proud of what Coming to America, released in 1988, meant to many. [20], The film was the subject of the Buchwald v. Paramount civil suit, which the humorist Art Buchwald filed in 1990 against the film's producers on the grounds that the film's idea was stolen from his 1982 script treatment about a rich, despotic African potentate who comes to America for a state visit. Joneshad the distinct pleasure of returning to one of his most iconic voice roles that of Darth Vader in Star Wars: Rebels,Rogue One, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as reprisedMufasain the live-action rehash ofThe Lion King. Most people don't know how to get to Wakanda. POPSUGAR: How does the style in this film differ from the first? African Beauty. Some standout appearances include: A Different World, Cheaper by the Dozen, Dexter, Grey's Anatomy,Shameless, This Is Us, and the 2016 filmSouthside With You, in which she played Michelle Obama's mother, Marian Robinson. Although, some would argue that nobody did it quite like Eddie Murphy. John Amos played Cleo McDowell, Akeems employer and Lisas father, in the original 1988 film and since then, has continued to light up screens across American households. Black Girl Magic. It opened on September 2 in West Germany, where it debuted at number one with $3,715,791 from 297 screens. [14], In 2007 Johnson was honored as one of the Library of Virginia's "Virginia Women in History" for her career and her contributions to society. And I remember during those days we would sit up and watch these videos and decide which ones were going on and which ones were not. Needless to say, they are blown away! It was released as a single in the US at the time of the film's release. Headley also has appeared in films The Preacher's Wife (1996) and Johnson Family Vacation (2004).. On television, Headley starred as Detective Mimi Reed in the ABC . Few would have expected a sequel to John Landis 1988 film, yet, a follow-up has arrived on Amazon Prime Video with director Craig Brewer at the helm. Johnson is a Global Ambassador for CARE, a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. This year, he earned an honorary Oscar, his first. [15], Sheila Benson in the Los Angeles Times called it a "hollow and wearying Eddie Murphy fairy tale" and bemoans, "That an Eddie Murphy movie would come to this. [32] A Hong Kong film, The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon, also has the same plot. I had pieces made by artisans all over the world, from east India to New York. John Amos. [14] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. He had won the Golden Globe for New Star of the Year and was nominated for the Globes best actor award for his role in the 1970 film The Great White Hope. We got a lot of backlash from recording artists and we had to start showing them. The 30-year-old musician is given the opportunity to showcase her skills in song and dance, while also giving a comedic performance; we learn that she has trained her whole life to serve her king. by Monica Sisavat It's a friendship that stayed there too with Arsenio and John Amos, those guys; I really feel kinship to them," comedian Anderson, who played a McDowell's employee in the film and went on to tackle numerous other roles, told PEOPLE. Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall Reunite in First Look at Sequel, Don Cheadle Says Marvel Costars Feel Like Family After Working with Them 12 Years: We 'Really Have Fun', Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall Say They Were 'Forced to Put a White Person' in 'Coming to America', Li Jun Li on 'Wild' 'Babylon' Parties, 'Goofy' Costar Brad Pitt and an Unsexy Kiss with Margot Robbie. She served as sole executive producer on her second film, A Powerful Noise, which premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival in New York. After leaving the critically acclaimed talk show, Hall went on to have an amazing acting career, including reprising his role as Semmi in Coming 2 America. Teyana Taylor plays the character of Bopoto Izzi. Written by the original movie's team of Murphy, Barry W. Blaustein, and David Sheffield with the help of "Black-ish" creator Kenya Barris, "Coming 2 America" promises another lighthearted adventure as Akeem and Semmi return to the states to meet the unlikely heir to the throne. 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