We got Eddie as he was leaving E Baldi Tuesday in Bev Hills, and asked him about the highly anticipated movie ... which started pre-production last month. Outside of Eddie, Arsenio Hall and Shari Headley (Lisa McDowell) ... little is known about who's co-starring in the film.

Akon, who grew up in Senegal, recently told us Eddie should be hiring real deal African actors for the flick, and we brought that suggestion right to the man himself. Good news for Africans, and GREAT news for Michael Blackson -- Eddie's interested!!!

Unsolicited, Ed dropped the comedian's name, telling us ... "There's one funny African. That Michael Blackson." Pretty sure there are more than one, but we get the point.

Eddie didn't let on whether Michael -- who's from Ghana -- is a done deal for the cast, but it definitely sounds like he's interested.

We called Blackson, and he had no idea. As he put it, "That would be life changing!!! Everyone in the world is gonna watch that movie."