Netflix has teamed up with Oscar-winning actress Regina King and director John Ridley to bring the inspiring story of Shirley Chisholm to the screen. Chisholm was not only the first Black congresswoman in the United States but also the first Black woman to run for president. She left an indelible mark on American history. Now, her story is headed to Netflix.
John Ridley, the director of the film is known for his work on “American Crime” and “Guerilla.” He’s also participating in the screen-writing process. Regina King is not only playing the titular role but also co-producing the film through her production company, Royal Ties Productions.
Jeff Skoll and Ted Gidlow serve as executive producers.
Netflix had first announced the film back in December 2021 and it was originally slated for a 2023 release. With the film still in production, it seems it will be a while before we receive this potential gem of a biopic. Netflix has confirmed that the movie has been pushed back to 2024. The delay owes to the reshooting of multiple scenes.
Ridley and King have collaborated earlier. While talking about the germination of the idea for the film he said, “I first met Regina six, seven years ago when we were doing American Crime together. Our careers were in different places; Regina’s trajectory has always been pretty much straight up. But one of the topics that we were literally, truly, breaking bread, sitting down together trying to figure out our commonality, she brought up Shirley Chisholm.”
He added, praising Regina King who is both “excited and terrified” to play Shirly, “One of the things I really, truly admire about Regina is not just her capacities as an actor but her capacities as an instrument to deliver empathy, and this is one of the most empathetic, one of the most powerful human stories that I’ve had the opportunity to tell, and I’ve had the opportunity to tell some really amazing stories.”
Here’s a look at the full cast for the film
- Lance Reddick (John Wick franchise)
- Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea) as Robert Gottlieb
- André Holland (Passing) as Walter Fauntroy
- Terrence Howard (Empire) as Arthur Hardwick
- Christina Jackson (Swagger)
- Michael Cherrie (Home Again) as Conrad
- Dorian Missick (For Life) as Ron Dellums
- Amirah Vann (Underground) as Diahann Carroll
- W. Earl Brown (Deadwood) as George Wallace
- Newcomer Ethan Jones Romero
