Ice Cube’s Friday and Kid N Plays House Party have a lot in common. The rapper-fronted cult classics helped usher in the age of hip-hop stars turned Hollywood heavyweights. They featured classic soundtracks and memorable moments that are now quoted on social media. They also share a lot of the same actors. Proving that the ’90s was a powerful time for black actors, Friday and House Party helped introduce the world to such superstars as Chris Tucker, Mike Epps, Nia Long, and more. But which actors have the distinct honor of being in both films?
Angela Means is iconic for her walk-on screen-stealing role in Friday as Felicia. While asking Chris Tucker and Ice Cube’s characters to borrow some money, the guys famously told her “Bye Felicia,” which became a classic meme in recent years. Means actually got her start in 1994’s House Party 3. In it, she played a significant role as Veda, Kid’s love interest. The couple is central to the film’s plot.
Ronn Riser played Stanley on Friday. Riser would reprise his role in Next Friday and play an additional character credited as Mystery Guest before moving on to Friday After Next as a producer. Before becoming a part of Ice Cube’s trilogy, he had a small role in the OG House Party. Credited as Guy In Bathroom, it was his first role in the ’90s after several small roles on the soap opera Generations in the late ’80s. Riser continued to work closely with Cube in the ’90s and has credits as his assistant on the thriller Anaconda and bodyguard on 1997’s Dangerous Grounds.
AJ Johnson is known to many as Ezal. The comics hilarious portrayal in Friday made him instantly memorial and followed him through much of his career despite him being recast in Next Friday. Prior to joining Cube on Friday, AJ Johnson had a small role in House Party as E.Z.E before returning in House Party 3 in a different role, Butcher.
Bernie Mac played Pastor Clever in Friday, where he scolded the boys for smoking and filtered with their hot neighbor. It was one of the roles that helped establish the iconic comedian in Hollywood. Many first saw him in House Party 3, where he played Uncle Vester and starred in the hilarious dinner scene.
Yvette Wilson is most known for her work on The Parkers and Moesha. Many recall she also had a small role on Friday as Rita, a girl that Smokey was trying to meet up with throughout the movie who supposedly looked like Janet Jackson. A year prior, she was guesting in House Party 3 as Esther.
John Witherspoon played Mr. Strickland in the first House Party film. He played an angry neighbor trying to get some sleep while all hell was breaking loose next door. Witherspoon would play Ice Cube’s father Pops in all three of the Friday films.
Clifton Powell played Sharane’s Brother in House Party. It was only his second credited role as an actor. Powell has a very extensive career in television with many significant roles in the ’90s before joining the cast of Next Friday and Friday After Next as Pinky.
In 2001, Kid and Play would pass the House Party franchise down to the boys of Immature, who featured in House Party 3. Marques Houston took the lead in House Party 4, where Kym Whitley was featured as his mother. The year prior, she featured in Next Friday as Suga, Craig’s touchy-feely step-aunt.
Megan Good made her big-screen debut in Friday, credited as kid #2. She would later go on to join her You Got Served co-star Marques Houston in House Party 4 as Tina.
Bebe Drake acted opposite John Witherspoon in his scenes for House Party. As Mrs. Strickland, she is seen calling her husband back to bed while he yells at the kids next door. Later on, Drake would join the cast of Friday After Next as Mrs. Pearly.
Of course, the biggest crossover of them all would have to be OG Friday’s star, Chris Tucker. While Friday helped launch Tucker into the stratosphere and become a bonafide star (with his very next role being in Rush Hour), it’s hard to forget his scene-stealing turn in House Party 3. Tucker popped up as Johny Booze, interacting with the boys of Immature in a hilarious scene where he was trying to collect money for a stripper. Which House Party/Friday crossover are you most surprised by?
