Challenging act
DAMON Wayans ( right) can definitely identify with his lead role in the upcoming TV reboot of buddy cop film series Lethal Weapon. His character, LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh – famously played by Danny Glover in the films – has just gotten back to work after recovering from a heart attack. “I had a tumour on my pituitary and they went in through my nose and took it out ... So when I read ( the
Lethal Weapon pilot script), that’s what touched me initially. I can relate to this guy,” Wayans tells The Toronto Sun. The 55- year- old actor who is known for his comedic roles in
My Wife And Kids and In Living Color, even goes on to say he can’t imagine taking on the role had he not went through the medical ordeal. “I didn’t have the issues that this character has,” he explains. Some may won- der if it was daunting for Wayans and his co- stars to have to play roles already made famous by someone else; can they live up to viewers’ expectations? Clayne Crawford who plays Murtaugh’s partner Martin Riggs ( formerly played by Mel Gibson), definitely doesn’t think so. In fact, that’s why he signed on to the project. “I thought there was a real challenge, like there is when you do theatre, playing these roles that we’ve seen people play 100 times and bringing something new to it,” Crawford, 38, shares with TV Line. “This obviously is not ( King) Lear, but I was like, ‘ What can I do differently with Riggs, that Mel Gibson didn’t do?’ ” – Kenneth Chaw Lethal Weapon premieres Sept 22 at 7.55pm on Warner TV HD ( HyppTV Ch 613).