Pauly Shore is getting ready to sweat it out for the elderly as actor and comedian Richard Simmons stars in a new biopic.
The film is currently in development at Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolver Organization, and casting is underway.
A biography follows An unrelated short film about Simmons From director and writer Jake Lewis. Titled “The Court Jester,” it premieres Jan. 19 at Sundance and stars Shor Simmons, Tamra Brown as Ellen DeGeneres and Jesse Heyman as David. and “Keep it up David!” He tracked his weight loss journey on a blog. After its premiere in Park City, “The Court Jester” will be immediately available worldwide on YouTube.
“I am so excited to share the life of Richard Simmons with the world,” Shore said in a statement. “We all need this biography now more than ever. Simmons represented mental health, shaped people, and was his true goof! You couldn't take your eyes off him whenever he was on TV, and he brought such joy to his appearances that they represented nothing but a good time.
Simmons was one of the biggest fitness celebrities and fitness gurus and appeared frequently on talk shows such as “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “The Howard Stern Show.” He became a household name due to his flamboyant, eccentric personality and his successful “Sweatin' to the Oldies” aerobics videos. In his later career, Simmons turned to political activism, advocating for a 2008 bill mandating noncompetitive physical education in public schools. In 2014, she mysteriously disappeared from public life, causing widespread concern among her fans and followers. In a 2016 phone interview with “TODAY,” Simmons assured her that “no one is holding me hostage in my house,” and that she prefers privacy.
Mark Wolber of The Wolber Organization said of the upcoming biopic: “Richard Simmons has a wonderful, dramatic and exciting story to tell. My company has been producing historical dramas and biographies for over 50 years…we know what works. We've been dancing around the idea for years, but it never came together until several months ago when we saw the press about Polly Shore being advertised by social media as the only person who could play Richard. I saw their picture and realized that these two are very similar, they both lived or died, how the world perceived them, they both fought to give their fans what they wanted, and they both deserve an amazing rebirth story! My company has locked Polly to play the role of Richard Simmons and we are in serious discussions with a great writer to make it a dramatic and heartfelt feature in the tone of 'Little Miss Sunshine'.
The Wolber Organization has produced over 500 films and television projects that have won two Oscars, 50 Emmys and seven Golden Globe Awards. The studio is responsible for “Roots,” “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” “LA Confidential” and more.
“Total coffee junkie. Tv ninja. Unapologetic problem solver. Beer expert.”