EXCLUSIVE: Chris Tucker Gets Back On Stand-Up Comedy Stage, Movie To Follow

Chris Tucker returned to the big screen for the first time in five years with his role in Silver Linings Playbook, but fans should know he’s also been in the midst of another resurrection project: his stand-up comedy career. “I went back to the comedy clubs because I started doing stand-up comedy, and worked the comedy clubs and worked myself back up to theaters, and I’ve been touring the last two years,” Tucker, who rose to prominence on the Def Comedy Jam circuit in the 90s and recently hopped across the pond for a few shows in the U.K., told Uinterview in an exclusive interview.

The standup has been going extremely well (he has a four-star rating out of five based on over 1000 reviews on Ticketmaster), and Tucker is even set to release his own comedy movie next year.

What’s more, his funny-man chops came in handy for his role in Silver Linings Playbook. But even Tucker, who’s known for his fast-talking and high-energy style, admitted there were times when the film’s director, David O. Russell, wanted him to tone it down a little bit.

“Oh yeah, there were some moments where he [O. Russell] was like, ‘Less of that’ and 'We don’t need that,'" Tucker said. "It’s a good thing working with a good director. He can really hone you in on what you need to be. Maybe [in one scene] on the couch it might have been too much of what he wanted and he told me to calm it down.”

Tucker recently performed in New York City, but there are no upcoming dates for his tour. However, Silver Linings Playbook, which stars Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro, has been gaining considerable Oscar buzz and it looks as though Tucker is coming back into the limelight at just the right time. As he told Uinterview about one of the keys to success as a comedian: "Timing is everything."