*Close to 30 years after its release, “Friday” remains one of the funniest and most beloved movies of all time. A big reason for its success stems from Chris Tucker, who broke through in a major way by playing the weed-smoking lead character Smokey. Unfortunately for fans, Tucker’s appearance on “Friday” was only a one-shot, as he moved on to headline another successful movie franchise in “Rush Hour.”
Reminiscing over his breakthrough role and time making “Friday,” Tucker revealed he only took home $10,000 for playing Smokey, Moguldom noted. Considering how well-received the stoner comedy was, with its memorable scenes and lines, it may surprise folks who felt his performance was worth way more than what he was paid.
Yet, the experience of making “Friday” and doing what he does best made it time well spent, in Tucker’s eyes. “That’s one of those things; it was just a small movie. We filmed it in 20 days and I get but about $10,000 for it or whatever. I didn’t care. I wanted the opportunity,” Tucker confessed to Shannon Sharpe during an appearance on NFL icon’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast on Jan. 27.
According to the funnyman, “Friday” had a budget of $2 or $3 million, with actors permitted to only film two takes for scenes or risk getting their roles cut from the film.
“It was that small of a movie, but that was the beauty of it because it allowed me to get into character,” Tucker shared. “It wasn’t no big distractions like big movie sets. You got light people and sound people and everybody wanna be a star. But that movie was just a camera and me and Cube on the porch. Magic came out of it, thank God.”
Released on April 26, 1995,” Friday” featured an all-star roster of entertainers that included Tucker, Ice Cube, John Witherspoon, Regina King, Anna Marie Horseford, Nia Long, Faizon Love, Tony Cox, Tiny Lister, Jr., A.J. Johnson, Paula Jai Parker, DJ Pooh, and Bernie Mac.
Armed with positive reviews from critics and moviegoers, the film went on to become a cult classic, grossing $27 million worldwide and spawning two sequels, 2000’s “Next Friday” and 2002’s “Friday After Next.” Despite rumblings of a fourth film in the series being made, it has yet to come to pass.
As Tucker continued reminiscing over the first “Friday,” he touched on working with his Love, who played Big Worm, the local drug supplier Smokey worked for, and Mac, who played Pastor Clever, the neighborhood preacher.
To have the pair on the “Friday” set was a highlight that further cemented “The Fifth Element” alum’s gratefulness for the film and its overall success.
“Sometimes when God bless you man, He bless you more than what you can even dream,” Tucker said.
As for working with Love and Mac, it was nothing but laughs and appreciation all around for the comedic fixtures.
“The beauty about the scene with me and Big Worm, with Fasion Love. We were best friends so we clowned around all day, every day,” Tucker said. “It was so easy to work with him, but we were laughing a lot. Faizon would laugh all the time because he looking at me like, ‘Look at him trying to be serious.’”
“And Bernie Mac, of course, he’s one of my heroes,” “The Fifth Element” star said about his late co-star. I was fanning him. So everybody I had a connection with … every time I was with them, I was excited and it was just easy to do.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB: Mike Epps Claims Ice Cube Wants to Turn ‘Friday’ Into Touring Stage Play
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