The actress opened up to ET on Tuesday about her connection to the comic on the red carpet at the premiere of 'Easter Sunday.'
Tiffany Haddish is opening up about her long friendship with Jo Koy, and exactly how far back the two go when it comes to their careers in comedy.
Haddish stunned on the red carpet at the premiere of her new comedy with Koy, Easter Sunday, at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Tuesday, and she spoke with ET's Denny Directo about how it feels to be there supporting her longtime pal.
"It feels amazing. Don't get me starting to crying!" Haddish laughed as she fought back happy tears reflecting on their 20-year friendship. "I was hungry and homeless, he was a single dad who needed a babysitter. I wouldn't babysit at the house, only at the [comedy] club. Because I needed stage time."
"When I was hungry, he would get me a hotdog wrapped in bacon," she recalled fondly. "I told him, 'Who ever makes it first, we gotta look out for each other. Whatever you need from me, I got you.'"
Haddish explained, "Now, he's killing it on the stand-up scene, selling out theaters and arenas all over the world. And I'm killing it on the movie screen. Then he said, 'Tiffany, I need you' and I said, 'Bam! I'm here! What do you need me to do?'"
"Like, for real, that's my brother," she added with a warm smile. "That's my family."
As for Easter Sunday, the film follows down-on-his-luck stand-up comic Joe (played by Koy), who brings his son to an Easter Sunday gathering with his Filipino American family. Koy spoke with ET at Tuesday's premiere, and shared what he hopes viewers take away from the film.
"That we are all relatable. That we all live here and we all know each other. Doesn't matter what ethnicity you are, doesn't matter what color you are, it's family," Koy shared.
According to Haddish, it's this sort of representation and relatability that cemented her decision to sign on to the project, telling ET, "That's why I had to be a part of it!"
Easter Sunday releases in theaters on August 5.
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