Irie Inspiration

By Jazz Tangcay. Read full article @Variety.com

Eddie Murphy’s return as Prince Akeem Joffer in “Coming 2 America” (streaming now on Prime Video) brings the comedy franchise back to the fictional Zamunda, home to the royal family and its future heir.

Much of the Zamunda setting was recreated in Georgia, with the palatial palace brought to life courtesy of rapper Rick Ross, who opened the doors of his estate on the outskirts of Atlanta to the film’s production team.

Says production designer Jefferson Sage: “Our big problem was, where do we find a house that had the scale of the possibilities for a very lavish palace?”

Sage and his team scouted multiple locations before zeroing in on the Ross estate, which would serve as the bones of the lush royal palace

The 45,000 square-foot mansion in Fayetteville, Ga. sits on 235 acres and was previously owned by boxer Evander Holyfield. With 12 bedrooms and a dining room that seats up to 100 people, it had the scale director Craig Brewer and Sage were looking for.

“That entrance foyer with the big two-story interior and double-winding staircase was perfect,” says Sage. “Off of that, there were two beautiful big rooms with giant windows and 18-foot ceilings. We used five key spaces that we turned into Zamunda.” Read full article @Variety.com