Movies

Pauly Shore to star as Richard Simmons in biopic — see first look at the comedian in character

A feature film is currently in development with the Wolper Organization — and a short film, "The Court Jester," will debut during the Sundance Film Festival.

By

Gerrad Hall

Updated on January 17, 2024 11:19AM EST

"Yo," Pauly Shore says, answering the phone to chat with EW about his latest project. "I'm at the gym in Austin on the treadmill."

His current location is appropriate given he's starring as a legendary fitness guru in a potential biopic, which EW can exclusively reveal is currently in development. "I'm getting my workout in for my Richard Simmons," he explains, "to try to stay positive and get the world to come together."

The comedian and actor listened to fan suggestions on his YouTube videos and social media, where they commented on his likeness to the eccentric and spirited Simmons, who became famous with his "Sweatin' to the Oldies" aerobics videos and talk show appearances.

Pauly Shore, Richard Simmons — Pauly Shore; Richard Simmons. Denise Truscello/WireImage; Jason Kempin/Getty Images

But Shore thinks the similarities run deeper. "I am him," he says. "I like helping people. I like health. I like putting that energy out there. Through my mom and [The Comedy Store], she helped a lot of people and it kind of got passed down to me — I help comedians and people, and so I really relate to Richard. And I've been going to the gym since I was a kid. And I think I'm a little over the top as well, so I feel like I connect with him. And I've known him for years from back in the day. I started in the '90s... I used to always see him and I was always giving him hugs and high fives and stuff."

And now, he's made it his mission to give Simmons' story the biopic treatment, developing a film that will hopefully shoot this summer with producer Mark Wolper's Oscar- and Emmy-winning production company, the Wolper Organization (a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Entertainment). Shore has also teamed up with Jake Lewis, whose short film about Robin Williams went viral several years ago, on the short film The Court Jester, which will premiere this week in Park City, Utah during the Sundance Film Festival.

EW has an exclusive look below at Shore as Simmons, as well as a teaser for that short film. And Shore explains his connection to the now reclusive personality, his reaction to the comparisons, whether Simmons will be involved, and more.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was your initial reaction to people saying you should play Richard Simmons in something?

PAULY SHORE: Well, I think it's cool. I think this business that we're in now, the audience kind of controls it a lot. They're the ones who came up with it. I mean, I just did my "Sweatin With the Wiez" videos from Vegas... all these videos of me working out in my backyard... people comment and you read what people are saying. So that's kind of where it took off. People always say that I remind them of Richard Simmons. I've even had that in public — people would be like, "Oh, dude, what's up? I know you! You're Richard Simmons." So I get that sometimes. It was kind of already out there.

Did you think you looked like him?

I mean, partly. Yeah, I think so. That's a compliment, by the way. He's very handsome. Also, his style and my style is very over the top and spontaneous, so that's inherent in me already. So you have all these things that kind of represent him already within me.

The Court Jester Pauly Shore as Richard Simmons — Pauly Shore as Richard Simmons in 'The Court Jester' short film.
Issak Morin

Once you were playing phone tag a bit, did you get to speak with him?

His people responded and they said that he loves me and he loves my mom and the Store and all that stuff, but at this time he just wants to lay low and not really be involved. That was his response. From there, I got approached by the Wolper Organization, who has a first-look deal over at Warner Bros [and] who have been wanting to do a Richard Simmons biopic — we have a shopping deal right now. So every week we're talking to different writers and they're pitching us their take on how they see the film. So that's where we are in the process.

And then [my managers] got another random email from this director named Jake Lewis who did the Robin Williams short and he said he wants to do a Richard Simmons short, not knowing that I had a deal with this production company already. I said, "Send me the script." So he sent me the script and he knocked it out. He just nailed it. I didn't have any changes. And I saw his ability as a director and his DP, and the way he shot the Robin screen test, I was like, f---, this guy's awesome. And then I met with him, and then we fell in love on the vibe and the whole thing, and then we put that together before Christmas... My feeling is that once this thing gets out there and if it gets the response that we hope it will, more writers will step up and more people will see, like, oh s---, okay, this is the tone, this is the feel, this is the look, this is the style. But life's weird. You never know.

The short film is set in just one location, right? All at The Ellen DeGeneres Show?

Exactly. It takes place in the early 2000s and Richard's getting ready to do the Ellen show, an actress named Tamra [Brown plays DeGeneres], and then there's a bumbling kind of PA [Jesse Heiman] on the set, and he's a little bit overweight and he's kind of getting in the way of everyone — everyone's yelling at him because Richard Simmons is there and it's just very, very uncomfortable for him. And Richard sees this go down. So Richard comes out and he does this thing on Ellen, and then afterward there's this whole monologue that I have — or Richard has — with his fumbling PA by the craft services table where I shine some light on how beautiful he really is and how special he is, and help turn him around a little bit. It starts off kind of fun, and then the last part is Richard's message.

Is it your hope that a feature film would focus on a very specific moment of time in Richard's life? Or are you open to seeing all ideas here?

I think what you just said in the latter part of your question is exactly where it is because, at the end of the day, you want to let creative people do creative people things. So when you're being pitched different ideas, everyone's got a different angle and a different style and what it is. And I don't want to put my finger on exactly what it is. I want to hear the story and then resonate with that particular story at that time, and then bring something to the table from there.

In terms of Richard wanting to sit this one out and not participate, do you feel like that gives you some creative freedom or do you prefer to have his input and insights?

Well, he has written a book and there's a lot of stuff out there, so if we stay consistent to his story, once we start writing it, I think he'll be all right. But my attitude is: If we build it, he'll come. That's my hope. My hope is that he sees that it looks good, it feels good, it's right. And then he might just say, f--- it at some point — "I'm down. I'll help you guys, I'll be part of it, and I'll hold your hand." We'll all hold each other's hands and we'll work together. Richard Simmons was a very, very, very special man, and he had a huge message. And I think that message now is even bigger than it was back then. I just do. With mental health and obesity and people not taking care of themselves — and he always had a really fun way and he made people feel comfortable.

I feel like any time he was on TV, he was that guy who put a smile on your face. But we know that it wasn't always smiles behind the scenes. So I have to imagine from your perspective, not just because of all the ways that you feel connected to him or look like him, that what you might get to explore from an acting perspective must be an exciting thought.

Yes, it is. I mean, you look at the Elton John biopic, the Freddie Mercury biopic, even if anyone does my biopic — the happier people are, the sadder people are. People in the entertainment business give their heart and their soul to the public, but alone they're kind of exhausted in a way. And I think that makes it very relatable. Once we start to peel off the layers of who this guy was, it'll be interesting what we discover. I know he was bullied a lot because he was chubby — that was a big deal, and that was probably part of his motivation and his reasoning to get in shape. But again, we're just scratching the surface right now as far as the story. We know that he's kind of wanting to just be left alone in his house, and he just wants to chill. From what I understand, he's not sick, which is great, and he is just chilling. So that's where he's at, but people miss him and people love him.

You were very vocally supportive of your Encino Man costars, Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan the past couple of years, with all their huge successes and Oscar wins. Did seeing their "comebacks" add fuel to your fire for wanting to make a movie and get out there and more?

Yeah, it's part of it. But more importantly, I think it's the right story. The comeback and all that other stuff is something everyone wants to have. Everyone wants to have that opportunity and that shot to go get back out there again with the right script and the right director and the right story. I mean, look at Mickey Rourke and The Wrestler, when he had that run — it happens all the time. So hopefully my stars will line up... I'm hoping for the best, and I hope that we get a great writer because if it's not on the page, it's not on the stage. We've got to make sure that that's dead on before we even start moving forward.

The Court Jester makes its premiere during Sundance at 9 p.m. MT on Friday, Jan. 19, at the Cabin in Park City, Utah, and will be available to stream that night on YouTube. There will be a second screening at 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Jan. 22, also at the Cabin.