Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall make surprising claim about 'Coming to America'

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Coming 2 America” stars Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall were on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Monday to promote the long awaited sequel to the 1988 hit comedy “Coming to America.” But they also revealed that Paramount Pictures forced them to cast white comedian Louie Anderson as Maruice in the original film.

“I love Louie, but I think we were forced to put Louie in it,” said Hall. “We were forced to put in a white person.”

Murphy explained that the decision was studio driven, saying, “Paramount was like, because the whole cast was Black, it was in the 80's, they were like there has to be a white person in the movie. I was like, what? So who was the funniest white guy around? We knew Louie was cool, so that's how Louie got in the movie.”

Video Transcript

ARSENIO HALL: I love Louis, but I think we were forced to put Louis in it.

JIMMY KIMMEL: What?

ARSENIO HALL: No, I think we were forced to put a white person.

- "Coming 2 America" stars Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall were on Jimmy Kimmel Live Monday to promote the long awaited sequel to the 1988 hit comedy "Coming to America", but they also revealed that Paramount Pictures forced them to cast a white comedian, Louie Anderson, as Maurice in the original film.

EDDIE MURPHY: Because the whole cast is black, and this was back in the 80s. So it was like, we have to have a white person or we can't do. It has to be a white person in the movie. So it was, who's the funniest white guy around, right? Then Louie, we knew him, was cool with him, and so that's how Louis got in the movie.

JIMMY KIMMEL: Wow.

- Anderson also stars in the sequel, which debuts Friday on Amazon Prime Video. And even though he is an Emmy-winning actor and hilarious. It was still surprising to learn that he was forced into the film.

ARSENIO HALL: It was official. I had a list they gave me a list with three white guys, and they said who would you rather work with?

JIMMY KIMMEL: Oh really?

ARSENIO HALL: I point to Louie.

JIMMY KIMMEL: Do you remember the other two?

ARSENIO HALL: Oh yeah, but I can't say.

JIMMY KIMMEL: You can't say, alright.