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Movies - TV
Landing His Next Friday Role Was 'A Miraculous Leap' For Mike Epps
By J. GABRIEL WARE
Mike Epps' big Hollywood break came when he starred alongside Ice Cube in the 2000 stoner comedy "Next Friday," the sequel to 1995's "Friday." A month before the hit comedy hit theaters in 1999, Epps told Hollywood.com that his role "was a miraculous leap."
Ice Cube, who wrote and produced "Next Friday," created Epps character Day-Day to fill the void left by Chris Tucker, who refused to appear in the "Friday" sequels. Ice Cube discovered Epps at the same place Tucker earned his stripes: the comedy club.
During one of Epps' acts, in the crowd sat Ice Cube, who at the time was working on the "Friday" sequel and searching for an actor to play Craig's new smoking buddy and sidekick. The rap icon told Hollywood.com, "I saw him [...] and he was the perfect Day-Day. Not only the jokes [...] but he has that natural ability to be funny without trying to be."