Johnny Depp to Make "Sanford and Son" Feature Film

Sources on Hollywood and Vine say that Johnny Depp is this close to making a full-length feature film based on the beloved "Sanford and Son" television series. Sanford and Son starred comedian Redd Foxx as Fred G. Sanford, a 65-year-old junk dealer living in Watts. Depp will reprise Foxx's role. A source close to Depp's agent says "Johnny is over the moon. Sanford and Son was always one of his favorite shows. He watches it on DVD every night and laughs and laughs!" When questioned about the wisdom of Depp playing a 65 year old black man, the source replied, "Johnny Depp is first and foremost an actor. He is a thespian. There are no color or age or cultural boundaries that Johnny cannot overcome to play a role. He's a chameleon. He'll be more Fred Sanford than Redd Foxx was. Just you wait." The original show ran on NBC from 1972 to 1977. Demond Wilson played Foxx's son on the original show. Names being bandied about Tinseltown to play the role in the remake feature include Djimon Hounsou, Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Don Cheadle, Terrence Howard and Forest Whitaker. Actresses up for the Lawanda Page role of "Aunt Esther" the Bible-toting sister of Fred's late wife Elizabeth, include Diana Ross, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carroll, Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Gabourey Sidibe, Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson. A casting insider informed us that Mo'Nique is in the front-running.