Awards season is in full swing, and the biographical sports drama King Richard is poised to be one of the leading contenders in many of this year’s awards races. The film checks off many of the signature “Oscar bait” categories: it tells an inspirational true story about an iconic, yet controversial icon who is still generating headlines of his own.
While the race for Best Actor is certainly fierce thanks to contenders like Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog), Joaquin Phoenix (C’mon, C’mon), Andrew Garfield (tick, tick…. Boom!), and Adam Driver (House of Gucci) among others, some suspect that Will Smith’s dramatic turn could finally nab him a win after two prior nominations.
King Richard tells the true story of Venus and Serena Williams, the two sisters who became tennis legends. The sisters underwent extensive training from a young age under the strict regime of their father Richard Williams. Here are the major characters featured in King Richard and the actors that embody them.
Richard Williams (Will Smith)
Will Smith gives one of the greatest performances of his career as Richard Williams, who coaches his two daughters from the age of four to become tennis champions. Williams faced blowback for the extensive nature of his training plan, which is based on an 85 page document he developed before the girls were born. Its the role that Smith has been waiting for, as in recent years he’s starred in a series of critical failures including Suicide Squad, Bright, Aladdin, and Gemini Man. Smith is still renowned as one of the faces of the modern blockbuster, having shaped the genre with Independence Day and the Bad Boys and Men in Black franchises. However, he’s no stranger to more dramatic roles, and earned two Best Actor Oscar nominations for Ali and Collateral Beauty.
Oracene "Brandy" Price (Aunjanue Ellis)
Aunjanue Ellis plays a key supporting part as Richard’s wife Brandy Price. Brandy supports her husband’s plan to launch the girls’ careers at a young age, but they occasionally clash over his inflexible, combative behavior. In real life, the pair separated in 2002. Ellis is a renowned actress of film, theater, and television, and is poised to receive her first Oscar nomination after earning Emmy noms for When They See Us and Lovecraft County. She has also appeared in such films as Ray, Men of Honor, The Taking of Pelham 123, and The Help.
Venus Williams (Saniyya Sidney)
Fifteen-year-old Saniyya Sidney co-stars in the role of tennis icon Venus Williams, who is seen as one of the greatest and most influential figures within the industry. Williams was ranked No.1 in both singles and doubles categories by the Women’s Tennis Association, and has won four Olympic Gold Medals, seven Grand Slam singles titles, sixteen Grand Slam doubles titles, and many other records and honors. Despite her youth, Sidney already has an impressive filmography that includes breakout roles in Fences, Fast Color, American Horror Story: Roanoke, and Hidden Figures.
Serena Williams (Demi Singleton)
Thirteen-year-old Demi Singleton co-stars as the future world champion, philanthropist, and icon Serena Williams, whose reputation speaks for itself. Her beyond record-breaking string of victories includes 23 Grand Slam victories (the most of any player in the Open Era), four Olympic Gold Medals, becoming the oldest player to reach No.1 world ranking from the Women’s Tennis Association, and over $29 million in endorsement earnings. While King Richard primarily focuses on Serena’s older sister, it's a strong breakout performance by Singleton, whose other credits include The Godfather of Harlem and the indie drama Goldie.
Paul Cohen (Tony Goldwyn)
Tarzan himself, Tony Goldwyn, returns to the big screen for a major role as trainer Paul Cohen after mostly sticking with television parts over the last decade. Cohen is a legendary tennis coach known for his work with Pete Sampras and John McEnroe, but he’s ultimately dropped by Williams as Venus’ coach. Goldwyn stepped into the role shortly before production after Liev Schreiber stepped out due to scheduling conflicts. Although Goldwyn’s recent success has been on television thanks to his acclaimed work on Lovecraft County and Scandal, his notable film roles include The Last Samurai, Nixon, The Mechanic, The Belko Experiment, and his debut role in Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives.
Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal)
The role of the Williams sisters’ longtime coach Rick Macci falls to Jon Bernthal, who this year alone has appeared in Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Many Saints of Newark, Small Engine Repair, and next month’s Netflix drama The Unforgivable. The youngest inductee in the USPTA Hall of Fame, Macci also trained No. 1 ranked world players Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, and Maria Sharapova. Bernthal is among the hardest working actors in Hollywood, and since his breakout turn in The Walking Dead has appeared in Fury, The Wolf of Wall Street, Baby Driver, Sweet Virginia, Widows, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Shot Caller, The Accountant, and Me and the Earl and the Dying Girl. King Richard could be Bernthal’s first legitimate shot at an Oscar nomination, as he’s been floated as a potential Best Supporting Actor contender.
King Richard also features Dylan McDermott as Will Hodges, Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew as Tunde Price, Danielle Lawson as Isha Price, Layla Crawford as Lyndrea Price, Andy Bean as Laird Stabler, Kevin Dunn as Vic Braden, Craig Tate as Bells, and Vaughn W. Hebron as Monsta.