Keshia Knight Pulliam Lands Coveted Role of ‘Imprisoned Hooker’ Opposite Tyler Perry

We were not among the critics who recently took offence to Tyler Perry’s frocked-out “minstrelsy” antics in Meet the Browns, but we are more than a little beside ourselves with today’s news that Perry has cast Keshia Knight Pulliam — best known as the youngest Huxtable child, Rudy, on The Cosby Show — as an “imprisoned prostitute” in his upcoming installment in the Madea canon, Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail. We can’t believe it; she grew up so fast!

Gregg Goldstein brings us the “plot” at The Hollywood Reporter:

The Lionsgate comedy centres on Madea (Perry), whose penchant for trouble-making lands her behind bars. She comes to the rescue of Candy (Pulliam), a fellow inmate preyed upon by a large woman named Big Sal. [Derek] Luke is on track to play Joshua, an attorney who has a past with Candy.

We imagine this will indeed be the Tyler Perry film that draws Bill Cosby from his post-network slumber for a painstakingly enunciated call to Pulliam, asking if she needs to borrow money and reminding his little girl that roles like these are for Lisa Bonet. Alas, the contracts are signed. We don’t even want to know what kind of revenge Phylicia Rashad is plotting right now.

• Keshia Knight Pulliam in ‘Madea’ caper [THR]