Source: 52nd NAACP Image Awards/BET / Getty
As far as Martin Lawrence is concerned, fans of the classic buddy cop Bad Boys franchise should expect to see him and Will Smith team up again as Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowery in the future. At least that’s what the 57-year-old comedian said in the July 2022 cover story for Ebony.
“We got one more at least,” he told Ronda Racha Penrice about a possible fourth installment. Lawrence discussed a number of other topics from his four decades-plus career with the outlet as as well. His raunchy run on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam in the 90’s, memorable roles in films like Do The Right Thing and House Party, and his classic eponymous sitcom and BET+ reunion were all on the table.
Lawrence’s comment backed up what Sony Chairman Tom Rothman told Deadline saying “That movie’s been in development and still is. There weren’t any brakes to pump because the car wasn’t moving.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Lawrence speaks on understanding the power of forgiveness and second chances, too. In 1996, during the fifth and final season of Martin, the entertainer suffered a breakdown which saw him get sued by costar Tisha Campbell over allegations of verbal abuse and sexual harrassment. That same year, he was found dehydrated, screaming, and walking around Los Angeles with a loaded handgun before being rushed to the hospital.
Lawrence quickly became untouchable in Hollywood, and the last season of Martin struggled towards the finish line. The comedian declined going into detail about that era. However, there was one particular big Hollywood icon who didn’t give up on him.
“It was a tough time in my life at that time, and Eddie [Murphy] called and had Life ready for me,” he shared. Murphy and Lawrence already proved they had remarkable interplay in the 1992 romcom Boomerang, and Murphy reached out to the struggling actor at a crtitcal time. “[Eddie] wouldn’t do the movie with anybody else but me. So, I really love him for that.”
And Lawrence has since bounced back strongly. He appeared in two more popular Bad Boys sequels, enjoyed a new run at success with his trio of Big Momma’s House movies, and was part of the all-star ensemble cast of the 2010 film Death at a Funeral.
He’s set to receive his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame later this year. Lawrence even patched things up with Campbell and has spoken at length about how the two are close friends once again.
“I am thankful for the opportunities I’ve gotten and what they have led me to. I have no regrets. They all were learning experiences,” he told Penrice. “I feel the flowers surrounding all this Martin reunion stuff. I feel the love.”
Read his full interview for the July 2022 cover story of Ebony by clicking here.
