American Pie, Scary Movie, The Hangover... we could go on. Some of the most iconic comedy movies in Hollywood went on to become successful franchises with multiple sequels. And so did the 1995 classic, Friday. So why didn't Chris Tucker sign on for the following films?
Well, it took years for the accomplished comedian to come clean, but he finally revealed his reasoning in an interview with Shannon Sharpe. According to Chris, it was "because of the weed" that he turned down the opportunity to join the team for a sequel. "I don't want everybody smoking weed," Tucker confessed.
"I never really told people this because I kinda forgot about it, but it was one of the reasons why I didn't do it." For Chris, the message he was spreading in the movie wasn't one he could get behind, and eventually, it steered him away from the franchise altogether.
"I said, ' I don't want to represent everyone smoking weed.' I kinda made it more personal than a movie, and that's one of the reasons I said, 'Nah, I don't want to keep doing that character.'" And his convictions must have been strong, considering what a huge success the first film had been. The comedic adventure of Craig and Smokey was an immediate hit with American audiences. It went on to earn over $25 million domestically, and it quickly became apparent that the masses wanted a sequel.
And as a co-star of the first film, sequels would've been easy money in the bank. But it wasn't worth it in Tucker's eyes. Despite the missed opportunity to participate in the franchise, the 50-year-old actor doesn't regret a thing about it. "[It] probably was good for me," Chris explained of his choice. Because rather than continue with a franchise he didn't enjoy, it pushed him "to the next phase" of his successful run in Hollywood.
Chris Tucker explains why he wouldn’t do another Friday movie pic.twitter.com/yP3u81InEH
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) January 28, 2021
You can catch the full interview with the iconic actor above. And remember, be sure to check back soon for more comedy news coming your way!
