Richard Simmons Addresses Biopic Casting Controversy

Richard Simmons is taking a break from his ‘quiet life’ to share a rare message on social media.

On Wednesday, the 75-year-old fitness guru responded on Facebook addressing the news that there’s a biopic coming out about his life.

‘Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie,’ he wrote. ‘So don’t believe everything you read.’

‘I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful,’ he continued. ‘Thank you for all your love and support.’

Simmons’ message comes as it was announced that Pauly Shore, who in September said he ‘would love’ to play Simmons in response to a viral meme, will play the media icon in a feature-length film from Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization.

At the time, Shore explained that he thinks so many people are responding to the idea of a Simmons biopic because of how he touched their lives.

‘He helped so many people,’ Shore said. ‘If you read people talking about him, they’d always be like, ‘I was 400 pounds and Richard Simmons saved my life!’ He was all about positivity and helping people. And there’s so much angst and divisiveness in the world, so I think a dose of that positivity is what people need. A Richard Simmons movie could unite America!’

The upcoming feature film is being developed as a ‘dramatic and heartfelt feature in the tone of Little Miss Sunshine,’ Mark Wolper of The Wolper Organization said. The production company had ‘been dancing around the idea for years, but it never coalesced until several months ago when I saw the press about Pauly Shore being touted by social media as the ONLY person that could play Richard.’

Wolper’s statement continued, ‘I saw the picture of them and realized these two are very similar, they both lived or died by how the world perceived them, they both fought to give their fans what they wanted and they both deserve an amazing comeback story!’

The Wolper Organization commented on Simmons’ lack of involvement in the project in a statement to Variety: ‘While we would love to have [Simmons] involved, we respect his desire for privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him, celebrates him and tells a dramatic story.’ The production company added, ‘We know he is deeply private and we would never want to invade that, however, he is an amazing person.’