The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Actors talk returning to world of 1988 comedy — or joining it
Actors talk returning to world of 1988 comedy — or joining it for first time
A couple of women were excited to be in “Coming 2 America” — the highly anticipated sequel to the 1988 comedy gem “Coming to America” — for different reasons.
For “Saturday Night Live” veteran Leslie Jones, it was the chance to be in a movie with star Eddie Murphy, who reprises the role of Prince Akeem of the African nation Zamunda.
“The first day of shooting, to me, was the one that put the bumps — the goosebumps — on me when Eddie walked in as Akeem,” Jones said during a virtual panel to promote the movie with Murphy, Cleveland native Arsenio Hall and other cast members.
“I don’t think he knew — everybody was like (gasps)!” “That’s how it always be when I walk into a room,” Murphy joked. Jones, who plays the mother of Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler), the son Akeem doesn’t know exists when the new movie begins.
To explain his existence, the filmmakers insert her character, Mary, into a flashback to a sequence from the first movie. Talk about a dream come true.
“I don’t know what comedian didn’t write themselves into the original ‘Coming to America,’” Jones said. For Bella Murphy, the actor’s still-teenage daughter, it sounds as though it wasn’t so much about being around Dad as it was about being Black and playing one of Akeem’s three royal daughters.
“To play a princess,” she said, “that was really fun. I just hope everyone who sees it that looks like me, (they feel) that, too.” The older Murphy had the film’s racial aspect on his mind, as well.
“The first one is the first movie in the history of movies that had an all-black cast that was successful all around the world,” he said of the movie that has grossed hundreds of millions of dollars. “You can count them all on one hand — and you’ll have fingers left over.” Bella was excited to act opposite Wesley Snipes, who portrays the militant General Izzy, leader of neighboring county Nexdoria. Her character, Omma, actually fights Izzy in a big scene late in the movie. “I was nervous because I was waving my stick around, and I didn’t want to hit Wesley Snipes in the head — because that’s not a good first impression,” she laughed. For Murphy — as well as Hall, who portrays loyal servant Semmi — it was seeing so many faces again from the first film. One person Hall noted is John Amos, who’s back as fast-food chain owner Cleo McDowell.
“I love him forever, and seeing him, it warmed my heart,” he said. Eddie Murphy also said it was special to act again opposite Shari Headley, who returns as his wife, Lisa. Although he hadn’t seen her in person in a long time, he’s seen her regularly flipping to various TV shows throughout the years.
“(Being back on the set with her), it was surreal.”
“Coming 2 America” is available to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video.