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Regina King plugs her new biopic about the trailblazing politician who became the first Black woman to serve in Congress and run for U.S. president
“Reina [King] and I decided to tell [Shirley Chisholm’s] story because so many people had never heard her name, which was kind of wow for us. To have the gall [and] desire to take on what she took on for so many years, that was always impressive to me [when I was] younger. We’re just telling a little slice of her political lifetime, but it expanded over several decades. That fire that she had, she just never seemed to be tired.
We would watch videos of her and collect so much audio footage of her, and [we were] able to hear the fatigue, but also hear how she would push through it and still exhibit a command presence—even when everything and everyone around her were not supportive. Obviously, she did have some support, but one would think that it would've been more in those moments. But she was able to forge ahead in such a blazing way. She's like the OG maverick.”
Shirley is written and directed by John Ridley, and stars Regina King, Terrence Howard, Christina Jackson, André Holland, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Reina King, and Lance Reddick, in one of his final roles. The film is now streaming on Netflix.
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