Just hours after it was announced that Pauly Shore would play Richard Simmons in an upcoming biopic, the reclusive fitness expert has spoken out against the film.
“Hey everyone! You may have heard that they might be making a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I never gave my permission for this movie. So, don't believe everything you read,” Simmons said. he wrote on Facebook. “I don't have a manager anymore, I don't have a publicist anymore. I'm just trying to live a calm life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”
a Short film called “Court Jester” Which also stars Shore as Simmons, will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19 and then on YouTube. The short film, directed by Jake Lewis, is unrelated to the biopic produced by Warner Bros.'s Wolper Organization.
In a statement to diverse“While we would like to have… [Simmons] “We respect his desire for privacy and plan to produce a film that honors and celebrates him and tells his dramatic story.”
The production company added: “We know he is very private and we would never want to invade that. However, he is an amazing person who has changed the lives of millions of people, and the impact he has had on the world should be recognised.”
One of the most famous names in the fitness industry, Simmons has become a household name due to his cheerful, eccentric personality and his successful line of “Sweatin' to the Oldies” fitness videos. He made frequent appearances on “Late Night With David Letterman,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and many other shows, promoting his weight-loss tips and strategies. In 2014, Simmons mysteriously disappeared from public life, causing widespread concern among his fans and followers. In 2016, he told Al-Youm in a phone interview: “No one is holding me hostage in my home,” and that he simply preferred privacy.
Although he did not have Simmons' blessing to play him in a feature film, Schur said in a statement Wednesday morning: “I'm really excited to share the life of Richard Simmons with the world. We all need this biopic now more than ever. Simmons represents health mentality, and makes people look good and act like his silly self! When he was on TV, you couldn't take your eyes off him, and he brought such joy to his appearance that it was nothing but a good time.
Mark Wolper of The Wolper Organization said the studio is in “serious discussions with a senior writer” to develop the film as a “dramatic, heartfelt feature in the style of Little Miss Sunshine.”
“We had been dancing around the idea for years, but it never came together until several months ago when I saw the press touting Pauly Shore across social media as the only person who could play Richard,” Wolper said.
“Lifelong beer expert. General travel enthusiast. Social media buff. Zombie maven. Communicator.”