King Richard
Rent & Buy
The story of how Richard Williams served as a coach to his daughters Venus and Serena, who will soon become two of the most legendary tennis players in history.
What critics thought
Will Smith's performance drives most of the praise here, with critics calling it his most fully inhabited role in years — a departure from his usual screen charm. Where the film divides opinion is in its framing: admirers see a sharp, engrossing look at how race, class, and ambition collide in one family's story, while detractors argue it sidelines Venus and Serena in favor of their father's ego, making the two greatest female tennis players of all time feel like supporting characters in their own origin story.
“Smith is excellent, fully inhabiting the character in one of the only roles to date that has required him to fully shed his habitual gloss of Will Smith charm.”
Wendy Ide·The Guardian
“an engrossing family drama that doubles as a sharp rethink of how a family operates within the overlapping, often overbearing spheres of race, class, sports and celebrity.”
Justin Chang·Los Angeles Times
“Venus and Serena Williams are the names we rightly remember, but King Richard remains fixated on the male bravado that pushed for them to get their names out there in the first place.”
Allegra Frank·Slate
“keeps enough of Richard's messy past off screen to feel like a hagiography with a few concessions, rather than a true warts-and-all portrait.”
Jesse Hassenger·The A.V. Club
“The movie's brightest-burning idea, and it is sincerely moving, is that Richard, for his flaws, does what he does on behalf of the young black women he's raising.”
K. Austin Collins·Rolling Stone
Accolades
Genres
Biography, Drama, Sport
Cast & Crew
Reinaldo Marcus GreenDirector
Will SmithRichard Williams
Aunjanue Ellis-TaylorOracene 'Brandy' Price
Saniyya SidneyVenus Williams
Demi SingletonSerena Williams
Jon BernthalRick Macci
Mikayla LaShae BartholomewTunde Price
Tony GoldwynPaul Cohen
Susie AbromeitRobin Finn
Dylan McDermottWill Hodges
Judith ChapmanNancy Reagan
Erin CummingsSocial Worker
Katrina BeginAnne Worchester
Kris BowersComposer
Zach BaylinWriter
Robert ElswitCinematographyKing Richard
The story of how Richard Williams served as a coach to his daughters Venus and Serena, who will soon become two of the most legendary tennis players in history.
What critics thought
Will Smith's performance drives most of the praise here, with critics calling it his most fully inhabited role in years — a departure from his usual screen charm. Where the film divides opinion is in its framing: admirers see a sharp, engrossing look at how race, class, and ambition collide in one family's story, while detractors argue it sidelines Venus and Serena in favor of their father's ego, making the two greatest female tennis players of all time feel like supporting characters in their own origin story.
“Smith is excellent, fully inhabiting the character in one of the only roles to date that has required him to fully shed his habitual gloss of Will Smith charm.”
Wendy Ide·The Guardian
“an engrossing family drama that doubles as a sharp rethink of how a family operates within the overlapping, often overbearing spheres of race, class, sports and celebrity.”
Justin Chang·Los Angeles Times
“Venus and Serena Williams are the names we rightly remember, but King Richard remains fixated on the male bravado that pushed for them to get their names out there in the first place.”
Allegra Frank·Slate
“keeps enough of Richard's messy past off screen to feel like a hagiography with a few concessions, rather than a true warts-and-all portrait.”
Jesse Hassenger·The A.V. Club
“The movie's brightest-burning idea, and it is sincerely moving, is that Richard, for his flaws, does what he does on behalf of the young black women he's raising.”
K. Austin Collins·Rolling Stone
Accolades
Genres
Biography, Drama, Sport
Cast & Crew
Reinaldo Marcus GreenDirectorWill SmithRichard WilliamsAunjanue Ellis-TaylorOracene 'Brandy' PriceSaniyya SidneyVenus WilliamsDemi SingletonSerena WilliamsJon BernthalRick MacciMikayla LaShae BartholomewTunde PriceTony GoldwynPaul CohenSusie AbromeitRobin FinnDylan McDermottWill HodgesJudith ChapmanNancy ReaganErin CummingsSocial WorkerKatrina BeginAnne WorchesterKris BowersComposerZach BaylinWriterRobert ElswitCinematographyRent & Buy