Will Smith’s King Richard Role Restored A 18-Year-Old Oscars Streak That His $48.6M Box Office Bomb Broke
Summary
- Will Smith’s biopic Oscar streak was restored by the success of King Richard in 2021, earning six nominations at the Academy Awards.
- King Richard not only garnered acclaim but also helped Will Smith break a trend of not receiving Oscar nominations for biographical dramas.
- Will Smith’s diverse acting portfolio, including mainstream blockbusters, hindered his Oscar recognition until his award-winning role in King Richard.
An 18-year-old Will Smith Oscar streak was broken by an unfortunate $48.6 million box office bomb, but King Richard finally restored it in 2021. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, King Richard is based on the true story of the father and coach of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. In the film, Will Smith portrays the titular figure, while Venus and Serena Williams are played by Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton, respectively.
After its release, King Richard was not only commended by viewers and critics but also touted as one of the best films of 2021. Even at the Academy Awards, King Richard performed exceptionally well with six nominations, including Best Picture. Apart from earning immense acclaim and winning several awards, the biopic also reinstated a Will Smith trend that a 2015 film had ended.
King Richard: How Many Kids Richard Williams Had & What Happened To Them
Richard Williams has many more children beyond just Venus and Serena, with some appearing in King Richard and others nowhere to be seen.
Will Smith Received Best Actor Nominations For All Of His Biographical Dramas Except Concussion
Will Smith Got Oscar Nominations For Ali, A Pursuit Of Happyness, & King Richard
In an acting career spanning over two decades, Will Smith has starred in films of several different genres. Many would better know him for his roles in action-comedy franchises like Bad Boys and Men In Black. However, he has given some of his best performances in biopics, like King Richard and Ali. Owing to this, it is not surprising that he received Oscar nominations for almost all of his roles in biographical dramas. With close to 90 acting credits under his belt, Will Smith has starred in a total of four biopics.
Biographical dramas were initially paving the way for Will Smith to land Oscar nominations, but his third biopic broke this trend.
His first biographical drama was Ali, in which, as the title suggests, he played the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, capturing ten years of his life. Although the movie bombed at the box office, it earned universal acclaim from critics and even got Will Smith his first Academy Award nomination in the Best Actor category. Will Smith’s second biopic was A Pursuit of Happyness, which follows the early years and struggles of businessman Chris Gardner. Along with critical acclaim, the film also helped Will Smith get another Best Actor Oscar nomination.
Biographical dramas were initially paving the way for Will Smith to land Oscar nominations, but his third biopic broke this trend. 2015’s Concussion, in which Will Smith plays forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu, not only received mixed reviews from viewers and critics but also failed to get the actor an Oscar nomination. Fortunately, in 2021, King Richard restored the actor’s biopic Oscar streak by getting him both a nomination and a win.
Every Will Smith Movie Ranked Worst To Best
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Why It Took 18 Years For Will Smith To Finally Win Best Actor After Pursuit Of Happyness
Will Smith’s Diverse Roles Prevented Him Getting Oscar Nominations
Even though Will Smith’s biopic roles in Ali and Pursuit of Happyness were received well, the actor did not limit his roles to biographical dramas. Instead, he diversified his acting portfolio and starred in several mainstream blockbusters, like Bad Boys, Men In Black, I Am Legend, and Suicide Squad, among others. Since most of these films did not fit the criteria required to garner Oscar recognition, the actor did not get any nominations after Pursuit of Happyness. Given how Will Smith gave an incredible performance in King Richard and how biopics usually align well with Oscars’ selection criteria, it got him his first win.
King Richard
Based on the true story that will inspire the world, Warner Bros. Pictures’ King Richard follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. Driven by a clear vision of their future and using unconventional methods, Richard plans to take Venus and Serena Williams from the streets of Compton, California, to the global stage as legendary icons.
- Director
- Reinaldo Marcus Green
- Release Date
- November 19, 2021
- Studio(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Writers
- Zach Baylin
- Runtime
- 138 minutes
- Budget
- $50 million
