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Venus and Serena Williams have been making headlines for over 25 years. However, star and producer Smith was most interested in the family journey that made them the legends they are today. Along with fellow producers Tim and Trevor White, Smith turned to screenwriter Zach Baylin and director Reinaldo Marcus Green to tell the full story in “King Richard.”
On the surface, Venus and Serena’s road to success appears to be a tale everyone thinks they know—the American dream come true. But the film reveals the inequality, both in life and in the sport, that the family faced: a lack of quality courts to train on and role models to emulate, as well as little access to coaches and funding. “King Richard” shines a light on the unwavering resolve, unconditional belief, love, and devotion that would deliver the world two of its greatest sports legends.
Oscar nominee Smith stars as patriarch Richard Williams, who, alongside his wife Oracene (played with powerful restraint by fellow Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis), turned a 78-page plan for their daughters into a dream come true. The film boasts an incredible SAG Award–nominated cast that includes revelations Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton as Venus and Serena, plus Tony Goldwyn and Jon Bernthal as their renowned coaches.
Twenty years before he would step onto the court to play Richard, Smith was already a fan of the tennis-world legend. But even he didn’t know the full story. “I think the thing that was most surprising for me—before I decided that I absolutely had to tell this story—was that Richard had prophesized everything,” Smith says. “Two years before the girls were born, Richard wrote out plans for their entire careers. He actually went to Oracene with this dream, this prophecy, that they had to have these two kids who were going to be the No. 1 and No. 2 tennis players of all time. And I was like, ‘Wait, that can’t be true.’ When I went back and did the research, I just found it to be such a powerful story.”
To believably play Richard, Smith adopted his speech patterns, a cadence he says was like listening to music. For him, part of the fun of playing a character is finding out how they speak, right down to the tongue placement. For “King Richard,” hours of video footage of his subject gave Smith plenty to work with. To imitate his character’s walk, the actor took on what he calls a “shopping cart” gait for the duration of the film: he hunched over and pushed his head forward, sticking out his neck. The result is a precise and beautiful rendition of the film’s protagonist.
Ellis also unearthed exciting discoveries when she was researching her character. “I thought she was a cheerleader for their children…that she stood by and supported Richard’s vision. But Miss Oracene was as instrumental as Mr. Williams was—doing drills, coming up with strategy, training [her daughters]. I’m excited that people will know now.”
Smith and his fellow filmmakers and cast members are proud to say that “King Richard” is the rare film that explores a Black family fighting for and achieving something revolutionary. “I found a real understanding and love for what it means to overcome adversity and be able to maintain a dream through love and faith,” Smith says.
Check out this exclusive conversation for more on how this stellar ensemble delivered the story of a family that has inspired legions of fans around the world—all while becoming their own kind of family on set.