Richard Simmons issued a rare statement Wednesday disavowing a planned biopic about the former fitness guru starring Pauly Shore.
In a message posted to his official Facebook account, Simmons said of the apparently unauthorized biopic, “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.”
Simmons, whose sudden turn to a reclusive lifestyle prompted a podcast investigating his well-being, added, “I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”
Earlier this week, production company Wolper Organization announced plans to make a biopic about Simmons, though whether he cooperated with the film was unknown. Following Simmons’ statement, the company issued a response to CNN suggesting they’ll still continue on with the unauthorized project.
“While we would love to have him involved, we respect his desire to privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him, celebrates him and tells a dramatic story,” the Wolper Organization said.
“We know he is deeply private and we would never want to invade that, how ever (sic) he is an amazing person, that changed millions of peoples lives and the effect he has had on the world needs to be recognized.”
Shore, who also appears as Simmons in an unrelated short film titled The Court Jester, previously said of the role, “I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’s life with the world. We all need this biopic now more than ever. Simmons represented mental health, getting people in shape and being his authentic silly self!”
After decades spent releasing fitness videos and making countless talk show appearances, Simmons suddenly withdrew from public life in 2014, leading to speculation about his mental and physical well-being. However, in his rare statements, Simmons has insisted he’s merely choosing to live a now-private life.
In a follow-up message to confirm the authenticity of his previous statement, Simmons added, “I have not had a manager or publicist for years.”
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
