*Serena Williams says she is open to several “King Richard” sequels that focus on her and her sister’s journey to global tennis champions.
“King Richard had a perfect ending with Venus on the tennis court. Venus goes in her direction, and I go in my direction,” Williams explained in an interview with Insider. “It’s two completely different stories,” she said.
Williams views “King Richard” as an origin story.
“I had a rough journey,” she said. “I didn’t do well and then I did. It’s a lot of drama. It’s a telenovela.”
Based on the true story and starring Will Smith, “King Richard” follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. Driven by a clear vision of their future and using unconventional methods, Richard has a plan that will take Venus and Serena Williams from the streets of Compton, California to the global stage as legendary icons. “King Richard” is a profoundly moving film that shows the power of family, perseverance and unwavering belief as a means to achieve the impossible and impact the world, per press release.
READ MORE: Serena Williams Pens Essay About Her Near-Death Childbirth Experience
I partnered with @Gatorade to design some awesome bottles! You can find the limited-edition Gx bottle on https://t.co/GllxUNsrdm. Head over there to customize yours now. #ad https://t.co/MUZYlZKtoP pic.twitter.com/ACovebrz22
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) April 12, 2022
“King Richard” highlights one father’s relentless drive and unapologetic vision to change the game. Determined to do things his way, Richard Williams made a plan and defied the odds by raising not one, but two of the greatest athletes of all time: Venus and Serena Williams (who executive produced the film alongside their sister Isha Price).
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the project, Smith said the Williams patriarch “reminds me a lot of my father. It was that same generation — men that used to fix everything with their hands. I understood what it was like to live at the edge of survival and to try to sustain a dream.” Serena added in the same interview, “There are so many ways to tell this story. But I think telling it through my dad was the best way because he had the idea. He knew how to do it.”
“There’s an unspoken language we have as sisters,” said Williams’ older sister, Isha Price, in the same interview. “She’ll call and be like, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ And just by her voice I can tell there’s a struggle there, or joy there. Just to be present and appreciate that moment with her, good or bad, is important. That validation is oftentimes necessary because it doesn’t come from anywhere else. The expectation that everyone puts on Black and phenomenal women, on us, is a lot to bear, and sometimes you don’t even recognize that you’re carrying it. Because you just walk around with this weight all the time.”
The parts for the Williams sisters were played in “King Rochard” by Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton. The two previously sat down to talk with EUR correspondent Jill Munroe about how their own close-knit families prepared them for these roles. Watch the clip below:
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
