Regina King Discusses Co-Producing and Starring Alongside Sister Reina in Debut Film Collaboration
Oscar-winner Regina King recently opened up about co-producing and starring alongside her sister Reina in the Netflix biopic “Shirley.”
The film marks the first time the real-life siblings have shared the screen together, a moment King described as “a long time coming.”
Sharing Shirley Chisholm’s Inspiring Story
King expressed her desire to bring Chisholm’s story to the forefront. “We chose Shirley because we realized there were far too many people who didn’t even know her name. We felt it was important that people not only know her name, but why she was important, relevant, and inspiring.”
Directed by John Ridley, “Shirley” follows Chisholm’s groundbreaking 1972 presidential campaign. Despite facing rampant racism and misogyny, she broke barriers as the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first Black candidate for a major-party presidential nomination.
“To be a woman that’s unapologetic about who she is is not something that was embraced at the time,” King explained. “As Black women, we celebrate it amongst ourselves, but I don’t think it is shared as passionately and positively with everyone else.”
A Personal Project for the King Sisters
Regina King cherished the opportunity to work with her sister Reina, who portrays Chisholm’s sibling, Muriel St. Hill. “We did our share of acting as little girls, but this is the first time on screen, big or small, together, so it was a long time coming,” she shared.
The film explores the emotional strain Chisholm faced during her campaign, allowing the King sisters to showcase their sibling chemistry. “These intimate moments behind the scenes of the campaign are part of what I call the ‘secret sauce’ to playing Chisholm,” Regina said.
Honoring Chisholm’s Legacy
King emphasized the importance of humanizing Chisholm, highlighting personal details like her love for strawberry milkshakes. “That personal touch came from a conversation I had with Chisholm’s goddaughter, Maria Ford,” she explained.
The actress also praised her co-stars, including the late Lance Reddick, who played Chisholm’s adviser Wesley McDonald “Mac” Holder. “It was helpful Lance and I already knew each other as we’d worked together before, so there was already a relationship and bond there,” she said.
“Regina King is the quintessential actor,” said Terrence Howard, who portrayed Chisholm’s supporter and eventual husband, Arthur Hardwick Jr. “The dignity and regalia that she expresses, and [the way she] channels it directly through Shirley, will give you a bird’s eye view of humanity at the birth of a godlike figure, because that’s what she becomes in this.”
King hopes projects like “Shirley” will highlight Black contributions to history. “There is no American history without Black history,” she stated.
“History is being revised, and people and facts are being omitted, and when that happens, the respect and regard that one may have for another’s existence is not equal when one doesn’t understand what history brought them to where they are at this moment.”
