Why You Can Trust CNET King Richard trailer: Will Smith aces as dad of Venus and Serena Williams
The Men in Black star plays Richard Williams, who drew up a 78-page plan for his daughters' success before they were even born.
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Will Smith plays Richard Williams, dad of tennis legends Venus and Serena, in King Richard. Aunjanue Ellis plays their mom, Oracene (far left). Also shown, from left, are Mikayla Bartholomew as Tunde Price, the girls' half-sister, Saniyya Sidney as Venus, Demi Singleton as Serena, and Daniele Lawson as another half-sister, Isha Price.
Venus and Serena Williams are two of the most famous athletes on the planet. But the upcoming movie King Richard focuses less on the tennis stars themselves, and more on the dad who directed their success. Will Smith plays Richard Williams, who wrote out a 78-page plan for his daughter' success before they were even born.
The trailer shows Richard Williams' determination to take his daughters from Compton, California, to worldwide fame. When told he might have the "next Michael Jordan" on his hands, he disagrees, saying, "Oh no, brother man, I gots me the next two."
In one scene, he tells his daughters that they're representing "every little Black girl on Earth." No pressure. But anyone who knows the Williams' sisters story knows they lived up to it, and then some. Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, Venus Williams has won seven, the two have won 14 as a doubles team, and they're also Olympic gold medalists.
"This world ain't never had no respect for Richard Williams," Smith's character says in one scene. "But they gon' respect y'all."
Will Smith, Venus Williams and Serena Williams are among the film's producers. Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton play the Williams sisters. King Richard opens in theaters on Nov. 19, and will be available for streaming on Max's ad-free platform 31 days.
