Richard Simmons Says He's 'Fine and Happy' in Rare Public Statement After Denying Involvement in Biopic Starring Pauly Shore

The fitness guru, 75, delivered a rare public message to his fans: "My heart is filled with your kindness towards me"

• Richard Simmons spoke out for the second time about the biopic in development about his life
  

• The fitness guru, 74, said he has not given permission for the film and has denied any involvement

• Richard Simmons said he is doing well and hopes to maintain his “quiet life”

Richard Simmons is letting his fans know that he’s doing well despite the recent media attention.

On Monday, the 74-year-old posted a message on Facebook sharing that he plans to remain out of the spotlight.

“Hi Everybody! I wanted you all to know that I am fine and I am happy,” he wrote. “I have had a lot of people ask me for interviews. But right now I don’t want to do them. It is a gray and rainy day here in Los Angeles, but my heart is filled with your kindness towards me. Love, Richard."

The fitness guru first took a break from his "quiet life" last week to share a message on Facebook addressing the news that there’s a biopic coming out about his life.

“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie,” he wrote. “So don’t believe everything you read.”

“I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful,” he continued. “Thank you for all your love and support.”

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Related: Richard Simmons, 75, Denies Involvement in Biopic in Rare Public Message: 'I Just Try to Live a Quiet Life'

Simmons’ message comes as it was announced that Pauly Shore, who in September said he “can definitely morph into” Simmons in response to a viral meme, will play the media icon in a feature-length film from Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization, per The Hollywood Reporter and other outlets.

At the time, Shore told PEOPLE that he thinks so many people are responding to the idea of a Simmons biopic because of how he touched their lives.

"He helped so many people," Shore said. "If you read people talking about him, they'd always be like, 'I was 400 pounds and Richard Simmons saved my life!' He was all about positivity and helping people. And there's so much angst and divisiveness in the world, so I think a dose of that positivity is what people need. A Richard Simmons movie could unite America!"

The upcoming feature film is being developed as a "dramatic and heartfelt feature in the tone of Little Miss Sunshine,” Mark Wolper of The Wolper Organization said, per Variety.

The Wolper Organization commented on Simmons' lack of involvement in the project in a statement to Variety: “While we would love to have [Simmons] involved, we respect his desire to privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him, celebrates him and tells a dramatic story.”

The production company added, “We know he is deeply private and we would never want to invade that, however he is an amazing person that changed millions of peoples’ lives, and the effect he has had on the world needs to be recognized.”

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