Richard Simmons declared on Wednesday that he did not grant his approval to an upcoming biopic of his starring Pauly Shore.
Shore, who has already played Simmons in a short film called The Court Jester, revealed on Wednesday that he is planning a feature-length biopic.
He did not at that point say whether Simmons had given his consent to the project – and later on Wednesday, Simmons made his feelings clear.
‘Hi Everybody!’ Simmons, 75, wrote on Facebook. ‘You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read.’
He added: ‘I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.’
Richard Simmons declared on Wednesday that he did not grant his approval to an upcoming biopic of his starring Pauly Shore; Simmons pictured in 2008
Shore, who has already played Simmons in a short film called The Court Jester (pictured), revealed on Wednesday that he is now planning a feature-length biopic
The Court Jester, Shore’s short film about Simmons, will be screening during the Sundance Film Festival but is not in the festival’s official lineup.
Shore has even teased to fans that his upcoming portrayal in the feature length film could lead him to an Oscar in 2025.
The Court Jester will be released on YouTube after a premiere The Cabin in Park City on Jan. 19.
Last year, Encino Man star Shore revealed his intentions to play the beloved ’80s fitness icon, known for his effervescent personality and colorful gym attire.
‘I’ve noticed all the reactions to me playing Richard Simmons in a new biopic, so I reach out to him’ he wrote on Facebook in September.
Simmons – who has not been seen in public since 2017 – is said to not be interested in taking part of the biopic.
Shore added in his post: ‘I heard he’s living deep in Big Bear. We’ve been playing phone tag (yes, he still has a phone). I’m trying to make it happen for you guys.
‘Be optimistic. In the meantime, hit up Hulu, Amazon, Disney, HBO and all the big producers. I definitely can morph into this guy. I’ll see you at the Academy Awards 2025.’
Now Pauly will play Richard Simmons in as official biopic
Checking in: Richard Simmons, who has largely hidden from the public eye, issued a rare statement last July to celebrate turning 75; seen in October 2013 in NYC
Shore previously said how his fans has commented on his likeness to Simmons
Last July, Simmons made an extremely rare public statement to celebrate his 75th birthday.
Although he didn’t share a personal message with the public and his fans, he did allow his representative to speak on his behalf.
‘This is a big milestone. I just want to see him happy, which he is,’ said his rep Tom Estey about the special occasion to ET.
It was a rare form of communication from the former fitness guru, who has largely hidden from the public eye since 2014.
He was previously spotted in 2017 when he checked out of a hospital after being treated for severe indigestion.
However, he tried to avoid being seen by nearly covering himself head-to-toe with a blanket, which then required his housekeeper to lead him to a waiting car.
Despite Simmons’ recent reclusive years, fans showed that he was still in their hearts and minds when they dropped by his home on Thursday to wish him a happy 75th birthday in person.
Although they likely did not see him in person, two people were spotted carrying birthday balloons and a sign reading ‘Happy Birthday Richard! We Love You!’
His abandonment of the spotlight shocked many friends and admirers at the time, and even generated an investigative podcast, documentaries and half-baked claims that his housekeeper was holding him hostage.
Shore has teased to fans that his portrayal could even lead him to an Oscar in 2025
Pauly is known to many for starring in the 1992 movie Encino Man
Since 2014, Simmons has only spoken to the public via a few phone interviews and rare statements from his representatives.
Fans previously got news of the Sweatin’ To The Oldies star when a friend shared details about his currently life to ET in 2018, just ahead of his 70th birthday.
‘He’s doing very well. He’s his jovial self. He spends most of his time at home and in his yard,’ the source claimed at the time.
They added that he had been making progress on his ‘reading’ queue, and that he ‘does what he wants to do.’
‘He deserves this time to himself,’ the friend continued. ‘Seventy years is a milestone but he doesn’t look at it that way.’
Simmons’ quiet years couldn’t be a greater contrast from when he was at the height of his fame in the 1980s and ’90s, when he opened his own exercise studio after losing more than 100lbs.
The Beverly Hills studio, which came to be known as Slimmons, proved to be a popular spot for those looking to lose weight, as Simmons felt that gyms at the time were more focused on catering to people who were already in pristine shape, rather than those looking to get healthier.
He further increased his public profile with a string of appearances on game shows, talk shows and even soap operas, but it was his line of videotapes in the Sweatin’ To The Oldies that made him an inescapable part of the culture.
