Snipes thrilled with 2nd chance in Coming 2 America
Wesley Snipes has said he never thought he’d get a chance to star in a Coming To America sequel after losing out on a part in the first movie.
The actor, 58, was in the running to play Darryl Jenks in the 1988 comedy classic about an African prince from the fictional country of Zamunda who travels to
Queens, New York. However, the part went to ER star Eriq La Salle.
Snipes said he was devastated to miss out on the original film, starring Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, and was overjoyed when he got the chance to play General Izzi in the sequel, Coming 2 America.
He said: “I lost out to the great Eriq La Salle, who’s also a friend of mine, and I lamented over the fact that I wasn’t cast. But I loved the movie, loved seeing Africa in that light, it was a wonderful thing.“
“I never thought it would come around again, and I would get a chance to make up for that – but it all worked out wonderfully.”
Reflecting on how the original f ilm plays to a contemporary audience more than 30 years later, Snipes said: “I think it holds up pretty well.
“I’m quite confident people know just as little about Africa now as they knew about it then.
“Some things didn’t change, unfortunately.”
Coming 2 America is released on Amazon Prime Video on Friday.