The original “White Boy Rick” approves of the actor cast to play him in the upcoming show about the Black Mafia Family produced by 50 Cent, according to TMZ. Richard Wershe Jr., who was the youngest FBI informant in history at just 14 years old, called Eminem’s upcoming portrayal of him perfect casting and “an honor.”
Eminem’s casting was announced earlier this week, making the role one of the rapper’s first since he starred in the loosely autobiographical 2002 box office hit 8 Mile. 50 Cent posted the casting news on his Instagram, writing, “Oh yeah i’m bringing the big dogs out, I couldn’t do a show based in Detroit without incorporating the legend @eminem. Got him to play white Boy Rick in BMF, this sh*t is out of here.”
TMZ got the original White Boy Rick on a video call to get his take, prompting Wershe to reveal that Eminem was one of the first people to reach out about doing a movie on him. Although Eminem didn’t wind up making the film — the 2018 biopic White Boy Rick was eventually produced by John Leshner and Darren Aronofsky, among others, and starred Richie Merritt as Wershe Jr. — Wershe said it was “pretty cool” that the rapper wound up portraying him. “Everything he does, he does very well,” he praised him. “I think he’ll kill it.”
You can watch Wershe’s statement to TMZ here. BMF hits Starz on September 26.