Image: Warner Bros.
One of the biggest honors in the film scene comes every March during the Academy Awards, but not even the grace of a gold statuette can reconcile some actors.
Will Smith He made headlines for slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 ceremony, minutes after he won the Best Actor award for his role King Richard, Beating out favorites Benedict Cumberbatch and Denzel Washington, Smith’s moment in the sun is shrouded in dirt.
Streaming audiences care less though, because King Richard Has worked as an ace on streaming, topping the HBO Max charts at number one from almost anywhere. Six months later, people are now eager to re-live the film that sparked the biggest controversy in modern Oscar history.
Starring not only Smith, but Ajnanew Ellis, Jon Bernthal, and newcomers Sania Sidney and Demi Singleton, it’s a biopic that shows how the most iconic tennis stars of their era came to be, Venus and Serena Williams, and the man who helped them hit them. Heights raised for.
Sitting at a strong 90 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it will be curious how the years after Thappad deal with this film, as well as what will be a lasting legacy for Smith. Should he be remembered as the man who delivered a strong performance and won an Oscar, or for the violent outburst after a bad taste joke?
Smith’s future will be interesting, but streaming audiences are not yet ready to say goodbye to his on-screen presence. King Richard Available to stream on HBO Max.