Actor Pauly Shore is determined to move forward with the biopic of Richard Simmons in the wake of the health and fitness guru's death last month.
Simmons emerged in the 1980s as a weight loss advocate through his Beverly Hills gym called Slimmons and rose to stardom with his popular Sweatin' to the Oldies aerobics instruction videos.
He died in his Los Angeles home on July 13, a day after his 76th birthday.
Shore, a former MTV VJ known for his work in '90s comedy films like Encino Man and Bio-Dome, has been lobbying for a Hollywood comeback by playing Simmons in a movie about his life and said it was in the works. The 56-year-old even claimed that the famed weight-loss coach wished him "good luck" on the prospective project.
However, Simmons's social media posts written while he was still alive addressing the topic stated otherwise.
Now, Simmons' brother and representatives have clarified once and for all that Simmons never corresponded with Shore about the biopic, and never gave him the green light.
Back in January, Shore screened a short film at the Sundance Film Festival about Simmons' life, titled The Court Jester, and told attendees Simmons had contacted him earlier to wish him "good luck."
The experimental short, meant to gauge interest for an eventual full-length film, was generally met with a positive reception given Shore's uncanny resemblance to the flamboyant fitness icon who rose to stardom in the 1980s.
But when a trailer for The Court Jester dropped online ahead of the Sundance screening, it forced a then-reclusive Simmons to make a rare public statement on social media expressing his displeasure about the short film and possible full-blown movie about him.
"I have never given my permission for this movie," Simmons wrote on his social media page and cautioned fans not to "believe everything you read."
When news of Simmons' untimely death shocked the nation, it prompted Shore to express condolences with a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying Simmons was "one of a kind" and an influential figure who led an "amazing life."
Less than a month later, while fans were still mourning the sudden loss of the beloved fitness icon, Shore revealed to TMZ that he had not given up on the idea of portraying the late television personality in a movie despite Simmons' previous objections to the idea when he was still alive.
“I know he wanted me to do it,” claimed Shore, adding:
“I don’t even know if that was him tweeting the whole time, to be quite honest. I don’t know who that was.”
Simmons' staff responded with a curt reply on a Facebook post, shutting down Shore's statement.
"Pauly Shore has recently made comments to TMZ Paparazzi concerning his attempts to proceed with an unauthorized movie about Richard," read the message from the official Richard Simmons Facebook page.
The statement continued:
"You’ve seen here on Richard’s account what he had to say about the biopic. We’d also like to share the following statement from Richard’s brother, Lenny."
The statement, alleged to be penned by Lenny, read:
“Dicky absolutely wrote his own posts."
"He worked on them a week in advance, going over and over them to get the right message. He would often read them to Cathy and I beforehand."
"What he has NOT done was to text, email or call Pauly with anything; not even to wish him 'Good Luck' as Pauly has stated many times.”
Social media users weighed in on Shore's persistence in trying to make the film happen.
When Simmons dismissed Shore's planned project, he later divulged he was “in talks with major studios” to create his own biopic without Shore attached.
"Wait for this movie," Simmons told fans.
Shore said he was "up all night crying" after reading Simmons' tweet and added there was no one better suited to play him than Shore.
“Richard, how do you not approve of this movie? I mean, really, who’s better to play you in a movie than ME?”
“Leonardo DiCaprio’s not gonna play you. Brad Pitt’s not gonna play you. I’m perfect. Everyone already thinks I’m you. We’re the same. Beautiful, inside and out.”
Shore bemoaned that Simmons hadn't even heard his pitch yet, indicating it was premature of him to dismiss it.
He then proceeded to attempt winning him over by bringing him "warm matzo ball soup and a pastrami sandwich with dark mustard from Canters" and even said he was willing to rub his feet.
He continued:
"I know you, Richard. We used to hang out back in the day. I’d always see you at The Comedy Store."
"You’re my old buddy. Richard, you’re going to love our movie. We’re going to make the most beautiful cinematic masterpiece that’s going to honor you in a way that you’ll drop to your knees and cry with joy and happiness."
You can read the full post here.
Despite Simmons' objection to it, some fans thought Shore would be the perfect actor to portray Simmons in a movie about him.
@paulyshore/Instagram
@paulyshore/Instagram
@paulyshore/Instagram
Others insisted Simmons should be left alone after he had already made his point clear.
@paulyshore/Instagram
@paulyshore/Instagram
@paulyshore/Instagram
Simmons' staff previously shared with fans his final pre-written social media post a week after his death, also confirming he penned his own posts.
His representatives explained the process of how Simmons would plan messages to fans a week in advance and make changes when necessary to ensure everything was perfect before posting captioned photos every weekend.
The final post was of Simmons wearing an orange NASA space suit and gently smiling.
The accompanying caption read:
“Let me fly you to the moon so we can gaze among the stars. Love, Richard”
Simmons added with humor, "Sure, once in a while, have dessert."
Regarding Shore's planned feature film starring him, Shore told TMZ that the Wolper Organization, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. that's developing the film, is roughly $5 to $10 million short of producing it.
Shore told the media outlet he is willing to take a deferred payment if that's what it would take to get the movie made.
The death of Simmons is under investigation, though police initially reported that he died of natural causes.
Simmons reportedly felt dizzy the day before and had fallen in the bathroom. He refused medical attention, saying that he wished to spend his 76th birthday at home.
@WUTangKids/X
@WUTangKids/X
@WUTangKids/X
@WUTangKids/X
