KingRichard tells the story of a family working together, against all odds, to make a dream come true. Will Smith, VenusESWilliams, and SerenaWilliams dig into the making of their new, Oscar-buzzy biopic. Story by Andrew Lawrence
a bespoke closing-credits anthem. "The marriage of a movie and a song is a kind of magic that's unmatched in entertainment," says Smith, who knows a thing or two about that game. "I was so happy when Beyoncé called."
That started with the family inviting screenwriter Baylin and producer Tim White to the 2018 U.S. Open to get to know everyone inside the Williams bubble. When the tournament ended with a tense clash between Serena and chair umpire Carlos Ramos that hastened her defeat to then upstart Naomi Osaka, the inherent parallels to themes of the film were obvious.
Off the court, team Williams also wanted to emphasize that Richard wasn't the only visionary: Mother Oracene was equally instrumental in making her daughters' careers come true, a steadying presence behind the scenes. "We weren't thinking about what we were going to get or how much money we were going to make," remembers Oracene. "We just did it. After I saw how hard the girls were working, I didn't have any doubt.
Finally, the film is a valentine to Venus, the tennis trailblazer who people sometimes forget came first. "I love that it captured the innocence — the innocence we still hang on to, actually," Venus, 41, says. "It's kind of difficult for me to say, 'Oh, this film shows me.' Because me is Serena. And there's no me without her, and I could have never done what I've been able to achieve on the court without her. It's so symbiotic.
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