Will Smith wins Golden Globe for portrayal of Venus and Serena Williams' father Richard
Hollywood actor Will Smith, who played the role of Venus and Serena Williams' father Richard Williams in King Richard, won his first ever Golden Globe on January 10 when he took home the Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama Award.
Will Smith was the forerunner to bag the award, with critics and fans alike chiming in to express their awe at his performance. The enthusiasm was also shared by Venus Williams, who praised the actor for "surpassing all expectations" and "understanding Richard Williams' spirit."
"When Will Smith signed on to the role, we were definitely excited because he's the real deal, and he surpassed all expectations, Venus said. "He truly did his part to understand our dad and embody his spirit."
This was Will Smith's fourth nomination in the category, following previous nominations for Ali (2002), The Pursuit of Happiness (2007) and Concussion (2006). He was also nominated in 1993 and 1994 in the Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Television Series category for his work on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
In 2022, Will Smith prevailed over Mahershala Ali (Swan Song), Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog) and Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth).
Save the drama for Will Smith, who takes home the #GoldenGlobe for Best Actor — Motion Picture — Drama. https://t.co/0atjHCASYL
Unfortunately, King Richard could not make good on its other three nominations. In the Best Motion Picture Drama category, the movie lost out to The Power of the Dog.
Aunjanue Ellis, who portrayed the Williams sisters' mother Oracene Price in the movie, lost out to Ariana DeBose in the Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture category.
In the Best Original Song category, Beyonce and Dixson's "Be Alive" was outdone by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell's "No time to die."
Venus and Serena Williams were executive producers on King Richard
Both Venus and Serena Williams were executive producers in the movie and were extremely involved in the production process. Post-release, both Americans took a prominent role in the marketing of the film as well as its award campaign.
Serena Williams has spoken out in the past about her feelings regarding the movie, hailing it for its excellent portrayal of her father Richard and African-American fathers in general.
King Richard, the inspiring true story of Venus & Serena Williams' coach, mentor, and father, premieres on HBO Max November 19th.
Will Smith plays their father, and Venus & Serena are executive producers.
This is going to be INCREDIBLE.
https://t.co/Cv3BkMrfuI
The story follows the rise of Serena Williams and her sister Venus but took the artistic choice of telling the tale through their father's eyes. The decision received the backing of both sisters, who credit their father for all the success they have accumulated.
Will Smith later revealed in an interview that the former World No. 1's did not consent to being the executive producers of the film until they saw the movie and were satisfied with the final product.