Eddie Murphy Set to Star as DC Mayor Marion Barry in Upcoming HBO Biopic

According to the Hollywood Reporter, actor and comedian Eddie Murphy is set to play the role of former Washington DC Mayor Marion Barry in an upcoming HBO biopic. Spike Lee will be directing the yet untitled film with a script written by John Ridley. Ridley, Lee and Murphy would all serve as executive producers of the project. 

According to the report, journalists Harry Jaffe and Tom Sherwood, who co-wrote the 1994 book, "Dream City' which investigated the politics of Washington DC during Barry's reign as mayor, will serve as consultants on the film.  Also acting as consultants will be filmmakers Dana Flor and Toby Oppenheimer, who were behind the previously produced,  'The Nine Lives of Marion Barry'. 

Mayor Barry was acting mayor of Washington DC from 1979  to 1991.  He was reelected as mayor for a second time and served from 1995 through 1999.  Scandal plagued the mayor's office in January of 1990 when he was caught red-handed smoking crack cocaine in downtown DC.  He was arrested on drug charges and put in prison on a six month sentence.

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