The second coming of Prince Akeem
COMING TO AMERICA IS A CULT ROM-COM THAT’S FINALLY BEING REVISITED. STELLAR CAST MEMBERS DISCUSS THE FILM’S LONGEVITY, AND SECOND CHANCES WITH GEORGIA HUMPHREYS
IT IS more than three decades since Eddie Murphy graced the silver screen as Prince Akeem Joffer. Now the character is getting another outing, as a highly-anticipated sequel lands on Amazon Prime Video.
Once again set in the lush and fictional country of Zamunda, the new film, Coming 2 America, sees newly crowned King Akeem and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall), make another hilarious trip to New York from their great African nation.
Many familiar faces from the original movie are returning, such as James Earl Jones and Shari Headley, but there are some new cast members too –
Wesley Snipes, Tracy Morgan, Leslie Jones, Jermaine Fowler and Teyana Taylor to name a few.
For Florida-born Wesley, the role has been a long time coming.
“I auditioned for a part during the original and didn’t get it – lost out to the great Eriq La Salle, who’s also a friend of mine,” says the 58-year-old, who plays General Izzi in Coming 2 America.
“I lamented over the fact that I wasn’t cast but loved the movie, loved the regalia, loved the production, loved the acting, loved seeing Africa in that light, in that way. And, yeah, it was a wonderful thing.
“I never thought it would come around again, and I’d get a chance to make up for that, what I call one of the first Ls [losses], when I took the L back in the Eighties. It all worked out t wonderfully.”
Back to the plot of Coming 2 America and, as King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones) nears the end of his life and talk turns to heirs to the throne, he reveals some shocking news to his son.
It turns out Prince Akeem, who now has three beautiful daughters with his wife Lisa (Shari), has a long-lost son in Queens. To tend to this royal family business, he must return to America.
It is always a treat to witness 59-year-old Eddie, arguably the most commercially successful African-American actor in the history of the motion picture business, on screen.
After beginning his career as a stand-up comedian, and joining the cast of Saturday Night Live, New York-born Eddie went on to have a huge variety of memorable film roles.
There is the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, his award-winning turn in musical drama Dreamgirls, family comedies like Dr. Dolittle – and let us not forget he voiced the character of
Donkey in the Shrek films.
He actually plays four characters in Coming 2 America – Prince Akeem/Clarence/Saul/ Randy Watson – a film which, according to producer Kevin Misher, only came together when Eddie felt the time was right.
The actor rang up screenwriter Barry W. Blaustein – who, along with his writing partner, David Sheffield, has collaborated with the actor since his early days on Saturday Night Live – and explained his idea to revisit Akeem as an older man with a family.
“In Coming To America, an African prince travels to America to find a regular girl and he brings her back to make her his princess.
It’s a modern fairy tale that a lot of people love and, also, it was the very first time they ever had a movie with black folks, where you had kings and queens,” says Eddie.
“This film is a really cool continuation of that story and I want people to have a great experience while watching it.”
Coming 2 America also shows a different side of producer, actor and martial artist Wesley – who is known for dramatic roles on Broadway, as well as films White Men Can’t Jump, Demolition Man, and the Blade trilogy – as we see him flex his comedic muscles.
He plays General Izzi who has a long-standing rivalry with Akeem since he left his sister, Imani, at the altar 30 years ago and jetted off to America to find his true love.
The fearless general stirs the pot at each and every opportunity, with plenty of humorous moments.
“I’m such a fan of Eddie and have seen so much of his work that I have some familiarity of his tones and his paces,” notes Wesley.
“I tried to find some harmony with that and not laugh while we were shooting our scenes.”
We are much more used to seeing comedy from New York-born Tracy, 52, star of the award-winning sitcom 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, and his own series, The Tracy Morgan Show. But still, he never expected Coming 2 America to come his way.
In the film, the comic plays Uncle Reem, whose nephew, Lavelle Junson of Queens (Jermaine Fowler), is Akeem’s long-lost son.
“I didn’t audition for the first one [Coming To America], I was in ninth grade, I was young! I didn’t think it was going to come around either, but to be a part of number 2? That’s big in my life,” quips Tracy, who made headlines in 2014 when, following a horrific car crash, he was left with a severe brain injury.
“To be able to share a screen with all the greats from the first cast, the new people, Leslie and Jermaine, it was wonderful for me, very inspirational for me, to be a part of this. I can say, ‘I was in part 2’ – I’m happy.”
Seeing as more than 30 years have passed, many fans had probably given up hope of a sequel.
Wesley echoes: “Do you know, some of the cast members from the first one, they referenced the fact that they never thought, and never imagined, it would come around again, and how wonderful that it is.
“Some of them were nervous about it because it is 30 years ago, but I think they’re happy and they made the right decision.”
When we revisit classic comedies with a 2021 perspective, things can look a little different through the lens. How do they think the 1988 film stands up now?
“I think it holds up pretty well,” says Wesley. “I think there are still some relevant issues – themes that were expressed in the original film, that are relevant today.”
He continues, thoughtfully: “I’m quite confident people know just as little about Africa now as they knew about it then. So, some things didn’t change, unfortunately.”
“But this will help,” follows Tracy, smiling. “People still love fairytales, people still want to believe in a fairytale. It’s the same fairytale.”
I think it holds up pretty well
Wesley Snipes on how the original 1988 film Coming to America looks in 2021
■ Coming 2 America is on Amazon Prime Video now