She already has one Oscar under her belt, and the trailer for Regina King's upcoming film shows that she stars in another Academy Awards contender. The celebrated actress has a vast portfolio that spans back to her childhood. Depending on your generation, your first introduction to King's talents could have come from 227, Poetic Justice, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Boondocks, The Harder They Fall, or the Oscar-winning If Beale Street Could Talk.
This week, King's latest movie was announced, and moviegoers are already excited. She stars in the film Shirley, a Netflix production about Shirley Chisholm. She was the first Black woman to be elected to Congress in 1969. Further, Chisholm was the first Black woman to seek the nomination for President of the United States, running as a Democrat. The historic 1972 feat placed Shirley on an international stage, where she regularly addressed issues of inequity and inequality.
The King Sisters Worked On This Film Together
According to Harper's Bazaar, Shirley was a labor of love between Regina and her sister, Reina. The pair reportedly worked on the feature for 15 years before it came to fruition.
“It was always a little disheartening for Reina and I to have so many people over the years of our lives not know who Shirley Chisholm was,” the actress told the publication. “What she did was so pioneering. She was a true maverick. And, you know, we use this term all the time, but she was a true first.”
Further, King admitted that the year of Shirley's arrival was purposeful. “Instead of trying to release it during any normal cycle, we thought, 'Wouldn’t it be more impactful to release it during a presidential election year?'” said King. “As a team, we felt that is probably the best way we could possibly honor Shirley: to release her in a space that she created for herself.”
Regina King Says Chisholm's Upbringing Was The Foundation Of Her Strength
“Growing up in Barbados with her grandmother is where she just received a really regimented sense of expectations and strength," King told HB. Chisholm was born in Brooklyn to Bajan and Guyanese parents. "That concept of not accepting anything less than the best for yourself was absolutely instilled in her, from her grandmother."
Although she was born in New York City, Chisholm moved back to Barbados when she was five. She lived there until she was nine—years that were instrumental. "Also, the schools in Barbados had much more rigorous standards than America. The workload was more intense," King added. "By the time she got back to the States, she was so ahead of everyone. She felt such a strong sense of ‘If it’s not me, then who?’ And she didn’t see it any other way. If no one else was doing it, she would take action. Some people may consider that to her detriment as well, but she just didn’t wait for other people to figure it out.”
Shirley premieres March 22 on Netflix. Will you be tuning in?
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