Guest Column: The Importance of ‘King Richard’ and Its Story of Triumph and Truth

Crooklyn. Soul Food. The Color Purple. These movies have been mainstays in the African American community for a long time. These wonderful films have held their place and solidified the fact that African American culture in this country and worldwide has a place and a story to tell. How could we add to this powerful quilt-work of stories depicting African American families and communities, and do so in a way that is timeless? The answer for us was not to tell a story, but to tell our truth. That was our approach to King Richard.

Faith and family have for so long been linchpins in the fabric of the culture of people of color. That aspect of our lives is not often prominently shown onscreen. It is unclear if the undercurrents of faith are so strong that big studios do not feel that it is “commercial” enough. For us, the role of faith and family in our story is too important to be forgotten or untold. For our family, our faith motivated, if not dictated, how we lived. That is a fact, regardless of if it can be commercialized. It is too important to leave out of our story.

What came across onscreen that ended up being so compelling is the fact that an African American father was depicted as someone who fought for the foundational fabric of his family. This is oftentimes met with struggle — it has been so in other stories that have been depicted on the big and small screens. Our story was different in that there was no amount of pressure from others that was going to allow Richard Williams to cave and not do what he thought was in the best interest of his family.

Matriarchs of the family, especially in films like ours, often come across as the stronghold. This is usually depicted in the absence of a strong father. Not so in our home. As strong as my father is, my mother, Oracene Price, was still the actual glue that held it all together. She was the doer, the provider, the comforter and sometimes even the friend that we all needed at various times of our lives. In so many ways, she sacrificed so that our family was able to continue to be what we were striving for from the beginning: true to ourselves.

It is true that sometimes this created a clash. You cannot wash over the challenges of marriage, and you cannot skip over the challenges that exist in a family of any kind. To have that depicted in a way that millions of people can relate to — but that felt very personal to us — was important.

The complicated relationship among siblings often plays out in real life in such a huge way. I cannot tell you how many times I have been reminded by people who have not spoken to their siblings in years of how refreshing it was to see the very loving though very real and commonplace relationship of sisterhood. To be able to have that relationship with my sisters, all of them, and to have that shown onscreen is one of the biggest honors of our lives.

Oftentimes, the media reinforces that the only people who can make it are people who have advantages or opportunities afforded them. But, in my experience, there is something to be said about the tenacity and perseverance of an African American family who creates their own opportunities and who never quits. To see onscreen that with the right focus, foundation and support it’s possible to make your dreams come true — this is an important story to tell. Sure, there must be a plan in place. And in the real world, things do not just fall into your lap. But obstacles don’t have to be considered stone walls — they can be hills or even mountains to climb.

For our film to remind people of this was an honor. So, you see, it is possible to tell your truth even if that truth seems a little too rosy, or it is fraught with pain, or it involves a broken marriage or any other number of defeats. It can still be a story of triumph — your personal story. Maybe one day, it will be depicted onscreen. Just like ours was.

This story first appeared in the March 9 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.