Richard Simmons Says Pauly Shore Biopic ‘Does Not Have My Blessing’ (Exclusive)

The upcoming biopic Richard Simmons starring Pauly Shore does not have the fitness expert’s support.

“The Pauly Shore biopic does not have my blessing. Some major studios are interested with me being involved in MY story. Who should play me? Tom Cruise lol,” Simmons, 75, speaking through his publicist Tom Estey, said in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE.

Simmons’ latest comment follows a report from Deadline indicating that The Wolper Organization tapped Jordan Allen-Dutton to pen the film’s script.

The health guru echoed the same sentiments in a Facebook post on Wednesday, April 24.

“I just read that a man that I don’t know is writing my bio pic starring Pauly Shore,” he wrote. “I do not approve this movie. I am in talks with major studios to create my own bio pic with some help. Wait for this movie.”

Shore’s casting in the project was announced in January, amid the Sundance Film Festival premiere of his short film The Court Jester, in which he plays Simmons.

“I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’ life with the world. We all need this biopic now more than ever,” Shore, 56, said of the film in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “Simmons represented mental health, getting people in shape and being his authentic silly self! Whenever he was on TV you could never take your eyes off of him and he brought such a joy to his appearances that represented nothing but a good time.”

Simmons quickly responded to the news in a Facebook post, stating, ” I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read.”

In a September 2023 conversation with PEOPLE, Shore opened up about why “a Richard Simmons movie could unite America.”

“He helped so many people. If you read people talking about him, they’d always be like, ‘I was 400 pounds and Richard Simmons saved my life!’ He was all about positivity and helping people. And there’s so much angst and divisiveness in the world, so I think a dose of that positivity is what people need,” said Shore.

The actor said the two have “parallels that make sense.”

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“There’s also joy we both have and love to share, and a flamboyancy. We’re both very physical, we’re both over the top and silly,” he told PEOPLE.

In March, Simmons said he was diagnosed with skin cancer in two emotional Facebook posts. He later said he was diagnosed “many years ago,” and shared his story now to inspire others to get checked out by their doctors.

“I have had a tremendous amount of responses on my message regarding skin cancer,” Simmons wrote on March 20. “It happened so many years ago. The reason I wrote these two messages is that if you see a spot on your body please go to your doctor …so they can diagnose it right away.”