Pauly Shore is ready for a comeback with his upcoming role as fitness guru Richard Simmons.
Shore, 55, will play the outgoing fitness icon Simmons, 75, in an upcoming biopic. “I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’s life with the world,” said Shore in a statement to Variety in January 2024. “We all need this biopic now more than ever. Simmons represented mental health, getting people in shape and being his authentic silly self! Whenever he was on TV you could never take your eyes off of him and he brought such a joy to his appearances that represented nothing but a good time.”
Later that day, Simmons took to Facebook to note that the film is unauthorized. “You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie,” he wrote. “So don’t believe everything you read.”
Simmons was well-known as a fitness celebrity with his own studio in Beverly Hills. He started to gain media attention in the 1970s and ‘80s with his workout videos and subsequent talk show appearances on shows like Late Night With David Letterman and The Howard Stern Show. Simmons’ fun-loving, joyful personality made him a household name alongside his fitness series, Sweatin with the Oldies, which led to television and movie roles as well as advertising opportunities. In 2014, he disappeared from public life which caused concern among his fans. In a 2016 phone interview with Today, Simmons just said he preferred privacy.
This isn’t the only Simmons-centered project that Shore has lined up. He’s starring in a short film, The Court Jester, that premieres on January 19 at the Sundance Film Festival, which wasn’t affiliated with the biopic. In it, Shore portrays Simmons during the 2000s during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show when he oversees an overweight production assistant getting yelled at by other staff. The short film, directed by Jake Lewis, will be available on YouTube after its Sundance premiere.
Scroll for everything to know about Shore’s Richard Simmons biopic:
What Will the Richard Simmons Biopic Be About?
While as of yet there’s been no official plot announced, producer and director Mark Wolper, head of The Wolper Organization, which will be handling the film, gave a few ideas in his statement about working with Shore.
“There is an amazing, dramatic and uplifting story to tell about Richard Simmons. My company has been making historical dramas and biopics for over 50 years now … we know what works,” Wolper told Variety. “We have been dancing around the idea for years, but it never coalesced until several months ago when I saw the press about Pauly Shore being touted by social media as the ONLY person that could play Richard. I saw the picture of them and realized these two are very similar, they both lived or died by how the world perceived them, they both fought to give their fans what they wanted and they both deserve an amazing comeback story! My company has locked Pauly down to play Richard Simmons and we are in serious discussions with a major writer to develop this as a dramatic and heartfelt feature in the tone of Little Miss Sunshine.”
Is Richard Simmons Involved With the Film?
No, Simmons shared via his verified Facebook profile in January 2024 that he did not approve of the film.
“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie,” he wrote. “So don’t believe everything you read. I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support. Richard.”
Later that month, Simmons gave his fans an update on his health as the film project moved forward. “Hi Everybody! I wanted you all to know that I am fine and I am happy,” he wrote via Facebook. “I have had a lot of people ask me for interviews. But right now I don’t want to do them. It is a gray and rainy day here in Los Angeles, but my heart is filled with your kindness towards me. Love, Richard.”
Who Else Is In the Cast?
So far, only Shore has been cast as Simmons and additional casting is underway.
Who Will Direct the Richard Simmons Biopic?
A director has not yet been announced.
When Will the Richard Simmons Biopic Be Released?
A release date has not yet been announced for the biopic.
What Has Pauly Shore Said About Richard Simmons’ Criticism?
Shortly after Simmons’ comments made headlines, Shore responded to criticism by saying he didn’t think the former fitness coach was coming from a “vindictive place.”
“I hope that once he sees the short and he sees what we’re wanting to do with it that he’ll change his tune,” he told photographers in January 2024, per Entertainment Tonight. “I love him. I love what he represents, which is why we want to do it. He’s such a great character and it’d be a good opportunity for me to get back out there as well. People miss me and they miss him.”
Shore also shared he wanted to portray Simmons after “everyone” told him the pair have a resemblance.
