King Richard Spotlights Venus and Serena Williams’ Dad

With a clear vision and determination, Richard Williams has a plan to write his daughters Venus and Serena into the history books. The film King Richard, led by Will Smith, follows the journey of the Williams family as they battle the odds to turn Venus and Serena into tennis champs. While Serena and Venus Williams are legends in their own right, its very fitting for the story to be told through the eyes of their father and coach Richard Williams who had a plan from before they were born to turn them into tennis stars so they could live a life better than the one he did.

Right off the bat, you can feel the love of family in this film. It’s not just about Venus and Serena or even their father — it’s about following the path to the American Dream. This film is heartfelt and powerful and makes you want to know even more about this incredible family, which is brilliantly cast. Will Smith delivers an award-worthy performance as Richard Williams, a father who knows his daughters are destined for greatness but still wants them to have a chance at a normal childhood. Aunjanue Ellis plays Brandy Williams, who works just as hard to advance her kids and brings the real talk. Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton play young Venus and Serena and really bring so much energy and power to their performances. 

King Richard does a great job of tackling all the highs and lows the Williams family deals with, while also addressing the realities of being a Black woman in a white dominated field. While at times Williams can seem controlling, the reality is that he knows there’s extra pressure on them as young Black women and doesn’t want to push them into things they’re not ready for. By the end of the film, the message is clear: it doesn’t matter if Venus wins or loses… she’s already changed the game with her hard work, talent, and what she represents for other young women of color.

Dive deeper into my King Richard review, above.