Friday is widely considered to be one of the funniest and overall best stoner comedies to be made in the past 25 years. Written by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh, the film follows friends Craig (Cube) and Smokey (Chris Tucker) in South Central Los Angeles who, upon a leisurely Friday, get mixed-up with a dangerous drug-dealer named Big Worm (Faizon Love).
With a cost of roughly $3.5 million to make, Friday became an instant hit at the U.S. box-office when it doubled its budget on its opening weekend in April of 1995. The film went on to gross more than $28 million worldwide, leading to sequels Next Friday, Friday After Next, and the upcoming Last Friday. With the film celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, here are 10 behind-the-scenes facts about the making of Friday.
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Writing Process
At the time Ice Cube and DJ Pooh began conceiving the film, they were conscious of the ways Black neighborhoods in Los Angeles were negatively depicted in films like Boyz N The Hood and Colors. Rather than portraying gang violence, the two set out to reimagine the perception of the “hood” as a place of fun.
As a result, much of the script is autobiographical. The plot-point about Craig (Cube) stealing boxes came from a real-life incident involving Cube’s cousin. Many other aspects of the story were lifted from Cube and Pooh’s time growing up in South Central.
Clerks Inspiration
When it came time to pitch Friday to New Line Cinema, Cube and Pooh cited Kevin Smith’s Clerks as a template after which to model the production. The idea to film an indie comedy in one location with a small cast was suggested as a cost-saving measure. The notion to shoot the film in black and white was also considered at one point.
In terms of the tone, the movie House Party was also cited as an inspiration, which New Line also produced in 1990. New Line agreed to make the film, giving Cube the authority to handpick a director.
F. Gary Gray’s Involvement
Once Cube was given carte-blanche to choose a filmmaker, he opted to hire longtime music video director F. Gary Gray to helm the project. In addition to having collaborated with Gray in the past as a musician, Cube chose the filmmaker because he grew up in a similar neighborhood that the film is set in and had a preternatural understanding of the material.
Gray was initially hesitant for his first film to be an Ice Cube comedy but ultimately agreed to direct the film. Gray makes also makes a cameo appearance in the film as an employee in the liquor store, Ezal (Anthony Johnson), who slips and falls.
Casting Smokey
Co-writer DJ Pooh was originally slated to play the role of Smokey in Friday. However, when New Line opted for a bigger name with more experience, Chris Tucker was ultimately awarded the role. As a result, Pooh accepted the small role of Red instead.
In addition to Pooh, Chris Rock and Tommy Davidson were also considered for the role of Smokey. After the release of the film, Tucker became a major movie star and never returned to the Friday franchise again. For his role as Smokey, Tucker improvised many of his own lines.
Original Opening
In the theatrical version of the film, Friday begins with an introduction to Craig Jones’ (Cube) family. However, in the extended cut, several side characters are introduced before meeting the Joneses.
Among the altered/deleted footage is a shot of Deebo (Tiny Lister Jr.) sleeping in a garage, as well as a shot of two kids on the sidewalk witnessing Ezal running down the block with a pair of speakers in his hand. Another shot of Stanely spraying water on the kids to stay off his lawn is included, followed by an introduction to Smokey in bed.
Theatrical Debuts
Two now-famous actors made their theatrical debuts in the movie Friday. The late Michael Clarke Duncan appears as an uncredited background extra during the black and white flashback scene as Red confronts Deebo over his stolen bike. Duncan would go on to star in such iconic movies as The Green Mile, Armageddon, Sin City, and more.
In addition, 13-year-old Megan Goode plays “Kid #2,” who Smokey shoves out of the way when talking to Big Worm on the ice-cream truck. Goode landed a role on the TV series Moesha the following year.
Director’s Neighborhood
The filming location for Friday took place in director F. Gary Gray’s own personal childhood neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles. The street the movie is set on was Gary’s block growing up, with many of the houses used for filming belonging to several of his real-life friends.
More specifically, Gray’s former house was used during the flashback scene in which Deebo knows Pooh out over a stolen bike.
Surrounding Gang Violence
Friday was filmed over the course of 20 days on 126th Street between Halldale and Normandie in South Central Los Angeles. Given the dangerous nature of the neighborhood, cast and crew members were deliberately told not to wear the color red while filming, as it might upset the Crips street gang who wear the color blue.
As a result, the wardrobe of the cast consists of mainly blue colors. Smokey wears a blue shirt and hat, Deebo wears a plaid blue shirt, Mrs. Parker (Kathleen Bradley) dons blue shorts, Meagan Good has a blue hat and overalls, etc.
Two real-life gang members took issue with the production filming in South Central and refused to comply with the filmmakers during one particular scene.
In the flashback scene where Smokey accidentally smokes angel dust with Hector and his friend, two men can be seen sitting on a wall in the background. These were not hired extras, but disgruntled locals who did not take kindly to filming in their neighborhood. Despite an offer to be paid in walk-on roles, the men refused and insisted on remaining in the shot anyway.
Craig’s Clothing
The outfit that Craig (Cube) dons at the end and beginning Friday features the exact same clothing his character Dough Boy wore at the end of Boyz N The Hood. The clothes include cut0ff khaki shorts, a dark green tee-shirt, white socks, and a pair of dark slippers.
In addition, the outfit that Craig wears for the rest of the film – dark pants, black and white plaid long-sleeve shirt, and black Nikes – was worn by Ice Cube’s son Oshea Jackson in Straight Outta Compton, in which he played a version of his father.