Will Smith’s King Richard Role Restored A 18-Year-Old Oscars Streak That His $48.6M Box Office Bomb Broke
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.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.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.