Dolemite Is My Name Featurette Highlights the History of Rudy Ray Moore

September 9, 2019

Netflix has released a brand new featurette for their upcoming biographical comedy Dolemite is My Name starring Eddie Murphy as the titular comedian. Featuring the cast talking about Rudy Ray Moore’s influence and contribution to the Black community during 1970s Hollywood, you can check out the video in the player below.

The film is based on the life of Rudy Ray Moore, the comedian well-known for his raunchy, X-rated stand up that he also infused with rapping and rhythm, earning him the nickname Godfather of Rap. Moore also became popular for his creation of the character Dolemite in his stand-up routines that, after five years of performing as the urban hero, he decided to bring him to the big screen with the 1975 movie of the same name.

Keegan-Michael Key (Toy Story 4) is set to play Jerry Jones, a playwright who is convinced by Moore to write the screenplay for Dolemite, along with Wesley Snipes (Blade) as actor/director D’Urville Martin, Mike Epps (The Hangover), Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Aleksander Filimonović (The Americans), Tip T.I. Harris (Ant-Man and the Wasp), Chris Rock (The Organ Donor) and Ron Cephas Jones (This is Us).

Dolemite was such a hit it spawned two sequels, as well as one unofficial sequel and an appearance in short film Murder Was the Case starring Snoop Dogg, and is credited as one of the most influential characters in the blaxploitation genre.

The upcoming biopic, directed by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Ed Wood, The People vs O.J. Simpson), will see Murphy portray Moore.

Dolemite is My Name had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. The film will have its theatrical release in select theaters on October 4 and it will be available for streaming on October 25.