Leslie Jones — Huge Twist In The New ‘Ghostbusters’ Reboot [Video]
Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live funny lady, has just been chosen to star in the new Ghostbusters remake by Paul Feig. Though the original 1984 movie was led by the hilarious foursome Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis, the new Ghostbusters will surprisingly be made up entirely of women. Leslie Jones joins iconic comedy stars Melissa McCarthy from Mike and Molly, Kate McKinnon (Toy Story of Terror), and Kristen Wiig (How to Train Your Dragon). Paul Feig shows a bit of excitement with this tweet regarding the final casting.
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) January 27, 2015
Though all the women have ties to Saturday Night Live, Leslie Jones has worked as both a writer and an actress for the show. Last May, Leslie made the leap from writing the skits to starring in them, and this year was made a featured player. Jones, 47, holds the record as the oldest comedian hired for a feature role.
According to Clevver Movies, the decision to create an all female cast was due in part to the death of Harold Ramis last year. Original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman chose not to pursue a remake of the film. This is when Paul Feig stepped in and threw a twist to the reboot with the idea to create a funny female foursome. The new film will be a stand alone reboot of the 1984 classic, rather than a complete remake.
Leslie Jones worked her first stand up routine in college, when a friend surprised Jones by entering her into a comedy competition, which she won, sending her confidence soaring.
“When I walked off that stage, I had all the intentions of being the next Eddie Murphy.”
Due to that first taste of success, Leslie Jones changed her life course, moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy.
Though Leslie Jones’ stardom has not yet reached that of her compatriots Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, or Kate McKinnon, she is no stranger to the world of comedy. Jones has worked in stand up for the majority of her adult life. Her casting in Ghostbusters is a good sign that Leslie Jones is certainly on her way up. The opportunity to work with such well received, popular actresses should catapult her career forward almost overnight.
The Ghostbusters reboot is due to hit theaters in the summer of 2016. If you don’t remember, or have never seen, the original comedy, you are missing out! Watch the 1984 trailer below. Which original character was your favorite? Are you familiar with the work of Leslie Jones? Which character do you think Jones will portray?
[Image via NBC]
