Cast
- Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem Joffer: The prince of Zamunda.
- Arsenio Hall as Semmi: Akeem's friend.
- James Earl Jones as King Jaffe Joffer: Akeem's father and King of Zamunda.
- John Amos as Cleo McDowell: Akeem's employer.
- Madge Sinclair as Queen Aoleon: Akeem's mother.
- Shari Headley as Lisa McDowell: Cleo's daughter and Akeem's romantic interest.
- Paul Bates as Oha: A royal servant.
- Eriq La Salle as Darryl Jenks: Lisa's boyfriend.
The cast also includes: Frankie Faison as Akeem's landlord in Queens; Vanessa Bell as Imani Izzi, Akeem's arranged wife, and Calvin Lockhart as Colonel Izzi, her father; Louie Anderson as Maurice, a McDowell's employee; Allison Dean as Patrice McDowell, Cleo's daughter and Lisa's sister; Samuel L. Jackson as a robber; Vondie Curtis-Hall as Basketball game vendor; Garcelle Beauvais as a rose bearer; and Clint Smith as Sweets. Cuba Gooding, Jr. made his first film appearance in the film as a barber shop customer. Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy reprise their roles as, respectively, Mortimer Duke and Randolph Duke from Landis' 1983 Murphy-starring comedy film Trading Places. A segment of the Trading Places score can be heard during their scene. The Duke's limo driver from that film also cameos as the driver of Akeem and Semmi's limo.
Coming to America features Murphy and Hall in several different roles, which following the success of this film, became a Murphy staple. Hall plays Reverend Brown, who introduces Randy Watson (Murphy). Murphy and Hall play elderly barbers Clarence and Morris respectively, who engage in debate with Saul, the old Jewish man (Murphy). Hall also plays a woman (credited as Extremely Ugly Girl) who flirts with Akeem and Semmi.
Read more about this topic: Coming To America
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