Mike Epps to Play Richard Pryor in NINA; Kid Cudi Joins TWO NIGHT STAND; Jai Courtney Boards FELONY

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Mike Epps to Play Richard Pryor in Nina Simone Biopic, NINA; Kid Cudi Adds TWO NIGHT STAND; Jai Courtney Commits to FELONY

By Dave Trumbore

Published Oct 15, 2012

Mike Epps to play Richard Pryor in Nina Simone biopic, NINA; Kid Cudi joins TWO NIGHT STAND; Jai Courtney commits to FELONY, starring Joel Edgerton.

Casting additions today are as follows:

Mike Epps (The Hangover) will portray comedian Richard Pryor in Nina, the Nina Simone biopic from writer/director Cynthia Mort that stars Zoe Saldana (Avatar) and David Oyelowo (The Last King of Scotland).
Hip hop artist, Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi will join the indie rom-com, Two Night Stand, which marks the directorial debut of Max Nichols.
Jai Courtney (Spartacus: Vengeance) will star opposite Joel Edgerton (Warrior) and Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton) in Felony. Â Matthew Seville (Noise) directs from Edgerton's script.

Hit the jump for more on each picture.

Nina,Â the drama tracing jazz vocalist/pianist Nina Simone's rise to fame, also focuses on her relationship with her manager, Clifton Henderson. Â Saldana stars as Simone with Oyelowo portraying Henderson. Â As THR reports, Epps will play comedian Pryor, who used to open for Simone in the 1960s when they were both early in their career. Reportedly, Pryor's overwhelming stage fright was calmly rocked away by the singer before performances. Nina begins shooting this week in LA.

THR also reports that Mescudi will play the boyfriend of Gossip Girl'sÂ Jessica Szohr's character inÂ Two Night Stand. Â The indie rom-com focuses on Analeigh Tipton (Crazy, Stupid, Love) and Miles Teller (Project X), two people who meet online and meet up for a one-night stand, only to get snowed in the next morning. The picture is currently shooting in New York.

Deadline has word that Courtney will star inÂ Felony,Â a movie that puts a decorated cop (Edgerton) in the cross-hairs as he lies about running a cyclist off the road after a night of drinking. Â Courtney will play a young detective who suspects Edgerton's character of lying and gradually builds a case against him. Â Courtney has a number of big features in the near future, including Jack Reacher, A Good Day to Die Hard and I, Frankenstein.