Three decades later and “Coming 2 America” is making it’s long-awaited royal comeback with a 21st-century spin that’s sure to keep audiences laughing for years to come.
Kiki Layne plays regal princess “Meeka,” the rightful air to the throne of Zamunda.
“We get to see Meeka trying to fight the powers and traditions that be, that maybe don’t make as much room for women leading as they do men.”
Behind the laughter, the film carries an undertone of girl power. “We hear about that glass ceiling all the time so to see a literal princess hit that same glass ceiling…it’s important we have been having more discussions about that.”
The character of Meeka is tough and thrown into some pretty impressive fight scenes. Luckily, Kiki had plenty of experience preparing for those action sequences.
“What’s crazy is that I actually went straight from shooting the ‘The Old Guard’ right into filming ‘Coming 2 America’,” she laughs, “I’m very grateful for that because as soon as I step onto the set and whether they are handing me a machete or handing me a bow staff, I’m ready to go. I’m ready to do the thing.”
Viewers can expect to see legends Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall grace the big-screen with timeless jokes and countless quotable moments, yet the PG-13-rated film is subtly directed towards the next generation.
“They really made family a part of this second film,” she explains, “We’ve all been through so much this past year so I think to be able to be a part of something where people can share laughter with each other…that’s my biggest takeaway right now.”
You can stream “Coming 2 America” on Amazon Prime March 5th.