The 1995 buddy comedy FridayThe cast features some of the most prominent black actors of the time, although sadly, there are some notable members of the Friday cast who have since died. FridayStarring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, follows the day in the life of Craig Jones (Ice Cube) and his listless friend Smokey (Tucker) after Craig is fired from his job. Unlike some other iconic black movies of the era, Friday is a light comedy without the dramatic stakes and violence found in films like New Jack City Or Boyz n the Hood.
Friday Shows that just because life in the neighborhoods where writers Ice Cube and DJ Poo grew up can be dangerous doesn’t mean they can’t be fun. Smokey, Craig, and the rest of the Friday Characters have to deal with a certain amount of bullying and illegal activities, but for the most part, it’s just a community with its growing pains and friendships. Friday has gained a cult following over the yearsEven spawning the “Bye, Felicia“Meme. A major part of FridayIts longevity is its talented cast, some of whom have sadly passed away.
Actor |
Character |
---|---|
Tiny “Zeus” Lister Jr. |
Deebo |
John Witherspoon |
Willie Jones |
Bernie Mac |
Pastor Wise |
Anthony Johnson |
Ezal |
Yvette Wilson |
Rita |
Reinaldo Ray |
Red’s father |
Lavender leaf |
Jehovah’s Witnesses |
Michael Clarke Duncan |
Uncredited craps player |
Tommy Lister Jr. as Deebo
24 June 1958 – 10 December 2020
actor: Tommy “Tiny” Lister Jr. had a nickname that insulted his large sizePictured at 6′ 5″ and 300 lbs in his professional wrestling days (via Wow). This led to him often being cast as large, intimidating characters, such as Deebo Friday. His typecasting led to a fulfilling career, and Lister Jr. had several notable performances in his career. On television, he voices Mr. Mossel on Fish hooks and played a one-episode character in NYPD Blue Like Bob and Renegade Like Marvin Montgomery.
His notable film roles include the tattooed prisoner who throws the walkie-talkie off the boat in The Dark KnightCassius in Little Nickyand President Lindbergh in The fifth element. Lister Jr. died on December 10, 2020, at the age of 62, due to hypertension and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Notable movies and TV shows:
Title |
Role |
---|---|
The fifth element (1997) |
President Lindbergh |
The Dark Knight (2008) |
Tattooed prisoner |
Fish hooks (2010-2013) |
Mr. Mussels (voice) |
character: Deebo is A neighbor bully in Friday Who uses his size to make Craig and Smokey rob a house for him. He terrorizes the whole neighborhood, robs the people on his block which makes everyone hate him. However, he is also a ruthless thug who also inspires fear when he appears. At the end of the film, Craig finally stands up for himself by beating Deebo after Deebo punches Craig’s love interest, Debbie (Nia Long). Although the drug dealer Big Worm is the real threat to Craig and Smokey, Deebo is the most prominent villain in the movie.
John Witherspoon as Willie Jones
27 January 1942 – 29 October 2019
actor: John Witherspoon died on October 29, 2019, at the age of 77 from a heart attack and left behind a long legacy of his performances. Witherspoon’s best-known television roles include John “Pops” Williams The Wayans Bros.The voice of Robert “Granddad” Freeman in The Boondocksand grandfather Alvin in The first family. His notable film performances include Silas Greene in Vampire in Brooklyn and Mr. Jackson in Boomerang.
Notable movies and TV shows:
Title |
Role |
---|---|
Boomerang (1992) |
Mr. Jackson |
The Wayans Bros. (1995-1999) |
John “Pops” Williams |
The Boondocks (2004-2005) |
Robert “Granddad” Freeman |
character: Willie Jones is An animal control officer in Friday. He is also Craig and Donna’s (Regina King) over-the-top, emotional and very strict father. Willis is constantly pestering Craig to get a job and has him doing chores around the house while complaining about his son’s laziness. However, while the character is a great comic presence in the movie, he also gets a poignant moment when he talks to his son about his heartbreak over seeing a gun in Craig’s hand.
Related
Bernie Mac as Pastor Clever
October 5, 1957 – August 9, 2008
actor: Bernie Mac Died on August 9, 2008, at the age of 50 Still privately living with severe sarcoidosis for most of his life. Mack was a wildly popular stand-up comedian and comic actor who earned two Golden Globe nominations for his starring role in one of the most popular black sitcoms of the 90s and 2000s, The Bernie Mac Show. His movie credits are also impressive, co-starring in the Steven Soderbergh ocean s Trilogy as Frank Cotton. In addition, he played Stan Ross in Mr. 3000and Floyd Henderson in Soul people.
Notable movies and TV shows:
Title |
Role |
---|---|
The Bernie Mac Show (2001-2006) |
Bernie “Mac” McCullough |
The ocean s Trilogy (2001-2007) |
Frank Cotton |
Mr. 3000 (2004) |
Stan Ross |
character: Mack plays Pastor Cleaver, a hilariously hypocritical man of God who doesn’t practice what he preaches. While he arrives at Craig’s house ready to spread the word of God, he quickly tries to get high with the young men and then ventures across the street to have sex with Craig’s neighbor Mrs. Parker, only to be caught by Mr. Parker and chased . Off.
Anthony Johnson as Donkey
1 February 1966 – 6 September 2021
actor: Anthony Johnson died on September 6, 2021, at the age of 55, due to multi-system organ failure after years of chronic alcohol use. Johnson also appeared in shows like The Jamie Foxx Show Like Lil’ Loc Dogg And Malcolm & Eddie Like Free Willy. His film credits include The Players Club Like L’il Man, reuniting with Ice Cube and Bernie Mac, and I got the hook-up like blue
Notable movies and TV shows:
Title |
Role |
---|---|
The Jamie Foxx Show (1997) |
lil lok dog |
The Players Club (1998) |
l’il man |
I got the hook-up (1998) |
Blue |
character: Johnson plays Donkey Friday, A local thief in the neighborhood. He is capable of showing up at the wrong time, especially when it comes to Smokey’s antics. Donkey arrives at Diebo’s house at the same time Smokey and Craig do, leading to a commotion that wakes Diebo up, and spoils Craig and Smokey’s plans to rob him. He is somewhat of a nuisance in the neighborhood, always looking for jobs and handouts. However, he also has a friendly demeanor that makes him a welcome presence as well.
Yvette Wilson as Rita
March 6, 1964 – June 14, 2012
actor: Yvette Wilson died on June 14, 2012, at the age of 48 from cervical cancer, but before that he appeared in a number of productions. In movies, Wilson played a nurse Don’t be a threat And Esther in House Party 3. on television, She recalled appearing in Moshe And The Parkers Like Andrew Wilkerson, Thea Like Lynette Armstrong-Russell, and The Jamie Foxx Show Like Mary Jane.
Notable movies and TV shows:
Title |
Role |
---|---|
House Party 3 (1994) |
Esther |
Moshe (1996-2000) |
Andrew Wilkerson |
The Parkers (1999-2004) |
Andrew Wilkerson |
character: Rita is A woman Smokey is datingAlthough he becomes disillusioned when he realizes that she cannot match the “Janet Jackson” appearance as she was described as. While the movie makes Rita the butt of the joke and could be seen as a mean-spirited depiction, the scene is more about Smokey’s own shortcomings as he is too immature and self-centered to get to know his wife despite the fact that Debbie Thought they would make a good match.
Friday supporting cast & characters
Several notable actors appeared in minor roles
Reynaldo Rey as Red’s father: Reynaldo Rey passed away on May 28, 2015, at the age of 75, due to complications from a stroke he had suffered years before. He plays Red’s father in one of the most famous scenes of the movie. After Red is knocked out, his father refuses to stand up to Deebo and instead chastises his unconscious son for bothering the man. Ray appeared in TV shows like Everyone hates Chris Like Mr. Lester and 227 Like Ray the mailman. His film credits include White people can’t jump Like Todd and This is the funk How serious.
LaWanda Page as a Jehovah’s Witness: Lawanda Page has a brief role as a Jehovah’s Witness Who comes to Craig’s door. After he angrily shuts the door in his face, she hilariously kicks him out. The actor died on September 14, 2002 at the age of 81 from complications from diabetes. The comedian and actor also appeared in the cast of television shows like Sanford and Son Like Esther Anderson and Martin Like Evelyn Porter.
Michael Clarke Duncan as Uncredited Craps Player: Michael Clarke Duncan is an uncredited craps player in Friday. Although he has no lines in the movie, he is present for the iconic scene when Deebo knocks out Red. Before he passed away on September 3, 2012, at the age of 54 from a heart attack, He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor as John Coffey in The Green Mile. He also appeared as Wilson Fisk in Daredevil and Lucius Washington in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
Friday 4 is reportedly in the works
Ice Cube suggested last Friday is moving forward
Despite the fact that many members of the Friday Cast have sadly passed away, the movie helped kickstart a franchise that is still popular to this day. While Next Friday And Friday still further They didn’t achieve the iconic status of the original, they are still popular movies with lots of laughs. However, despite it being over 20 years since the last installment, the Friday Franchise may finally be continuing with the long-awaited Friday 4.
Often referred to as Last FridayThe fourth movie in the series has been discussed for years with no real traction. In 2022, Ice Cube called for the right to Friday To be given to him if the studio is not ready to make the movie. While that didn’t go anywhere, Ice Cube offered a more positive update on the project in June 2024:
“We are working on it. We finally got some traction with Warner Bros. They have new leadership, my man Mike De Luca, who was in New Line when I first started, when I first did the first ‘Friday’ and ‘Players Club’ and ‘All About’ the Names.’ Mike De Luca was there… So, now he’s running Warner Bros. and he and my man Michael Gruber were like, ‘Yeah, what the f*** was going on with “Friday”? Man, let’s get this f*** back online.'”
While the franchise didn’t recapture the magic of the original, with Last Friday With such a long-awaited sequel and possibilities of what the story could explore after so many years, it’s hard not to get excited about the possibility of the franchise continuing. It is also possible that Last Friday Could be the first sequel in the franchise to bring back Chris Tucker and reprise his iconic breakthrough role as Smokey from the original Friday.
Friday is a 1995 comedy film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Ice Cube and DJ Fu. Starring Ice Cube as Craig Jones and Chris Tucker as his friend Smokey, the story unfolds over one day in their South Central Los Angeles neighborhood. The film, with the mundane and unexpected, provides a humorous but insightful look into the lives and challenges of the characters, capturing urban life and culture.
- Director
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F. Gary Gray
- Release date
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April 26, 1995
- Figure
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Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tom Lister Jr., John Witherspoon, Anna Maria Horsford, Regina King, Paula Jay Parker
- runtime
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91 minutes