Former NFL player Isaiah Mustafa, the bare-chested actor from the Old Spice commercials, has bowed out of a supporting role in Tyler Perry's upcoming adaptation of "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf" and will instead play the lead role in "Madea's Big Happy Family," the next installment in Perry's successful "Madea" franchise, Mustafa's publicist has confirmed to TheWrap.
Mustafa has become something of an overnight sensation in Hollywood, having recently parlayed his Old Spice gig into a minor role in New Line's upcoming comedy "Horrible Bosses."
In "Happy Family," Mustafa will play Calvin, a man struggling with his marriage and family relationships. While the actress playing his wife hasn't yet been announced, Bow Wow will play his brother-in-law and Loretta Devine will play his mother-in-law.
Though Mustafa wasn't contracted to "Colored Girls," Perry himself reportedly made the trade without telling the actor his reasons for the switch. That's no matter, however, as the larger role will surely mean added exposure that could lead to more film work for the actor who has affectionately come to be known as the Old Spice Guy, a label I can't imagine he'll be wearing for long.
"Madea's Big Happy Family" began production this week in Atlanta, where Mustafa is currently on location. Filming is expected to wrap in early September.
Mustafa is represented by UTA.
