Although the Williams sisters became all-time great tennis players, every success story begins somewhere else. Their father Richard Williams was the one who started them on their path to becoming champions in the case of Venus Williams and Serena Williams. The new film tells their story. King RichardThe film stars Will Smith as the father and coach. According to the actor, his interest in the ladies’ father went back years and years prior to reading the movie’s script.
During King Richard’s virtual press conference, which CinemaBlend was in attendance for, Will Smith shared that Richard Williams had an impact on him back in the ‘90s. In his words:
Smith refers to an interview that took place in 1995. The incident is reenacted in King Richard. At that time, Trey Smith would have been an actor. Smith had previously married Sheree Zampino in order to be a father. Smith spoke out about why the interview is so special to him as his parent.
Check out this 1995 interview with Will Smith that features a 14 year-old Venus to get an idea of Smith’s thoughts. Speaking to an ABC reporterInformation about a upcoming game. It’s here:
In the interview, the reporter questions Venus Williams’ confidence by asking her why she thinks she can beat her opponent so confidently. She says that she “believes it” before Richard Williams disrupts the interview to tell the reporter that he’s dealing with the “image of a 14-year-old child.”He basically tells her off for asking him questions about Venus Williams’ confidence. Venus Williams can also be seen in background smiling.
It’s an especially powerful moment in the movie, but seeing that it happened in real life and affected Will Smith at the time is even more impactful. The film tells the story of Venus Williams and Serena Williams, two young tennis players who strive to be great before becoming household names. It shows how Richard Williams was an integral part of their early success and helped to shape them into the champions today.
Our glowing testimonials are available. Review of King Richard and check out ReelBlend’s Interview with Reinaldo Marc Green, director.King RichardCurrently playing in theatres Live streaming via MaxFor a limited time