Chris Tucker didn't let his breakout in Friday, as Ice Cube's pot smokin', drug dealin' homie, go to waste in the least. Not long after he was workin' alongside Quentin Tarantino in Jackie Brown and Luc Besson in The Fifth Element. He was about as in demand as an actor can be, and was earning $20M paydays per flick to star in Brett Ratner's crappy Rush Hour flicks. But what about Friday? Tucker sighted his religion as the reason why he wouldn't star in either Next Friday or Friday After Next, but personally I think he just read the scripts and hightailed it outta town.
It's been nine years since the last Friday film, and four years since the awful animated series, and things have certainly changed. Tucker's no longer in demand, he's back working again, and frankly he's in debt up to his eyeballs. So would he consider returning to play Smokey now that talk of a fourth Friday is starting to heat up?
Tom "Tiny" Lister, who played the massive Deebo in the first film, recently told TMZ that he was meeting with Ice Cube and Tucker to talk details, but if you look at the video he might've been drunk. Rumored for years, the urban comedy would be titled The Last Friday, with Ice Cube of course returning to play Craig. According to Deadline, who confirm that talks are underway, Cube would do more than just star, possibly producing and directing.
I've never really understood actors who use religion to explain away their odd career choices. What exactly about Tucker's faith stops him from playing a character in Friday, but allows him to make dreck like Rush Hour? Whatever. Whether Tucker lights up another one as Smokey or not, it's good to see him back in action. He'll be seen next as part of David O. Russell's The Silver Linings Playbook, which just booked a November 21st 2012 release date.
