Will Smith stepped back into the world of biopics for Venus and Serena Williams, producers on the King Richard project. The film, released to theaters and streaming on HBO Max, follows the Williams family in the early days of their tennis career, as Richard Williams puts his 84-page plan for his daughter's success into action. Will Smith carries the film from start to finish, excellently mixing a demanding tennis coach with a loving and caring father who will do anything for his daughters.
The Best Actor Oscar has a slew of familiar faces emerging from the pack as early frontrunners. Will Smith will most likely be up against actors that have previous nominations - and wins - in the category. Early predictions have Andrew Garfield (The Tragedy of Macbeth), all in the running to take home the Oscar for Best Actor. A category stacked with previous nominees and winners makes this year particularly difficult to predict with certainty, but with stellar reviews of Smith's performance, he is the odds-on favorite to take the stage at the Academy Awards.
The actors in King Richard portray their real-life counterparts to perfection, which helps Smith's case for the gold statue, as he truly carries the film with charisma that demands the audience's attention, even among an amazingly talented cast. When it comes to the Academy Awards, voters historically gravitate towards biopics when awarding the acting awards. Seven out of the last 11 Best Actor winners starred in biopics, which bodes well for Smith's chances at not only a nomination but a win.
Will Smith's first two Oscar nominations came from playing real-life characters in Ali (as Muhammad Ali) and The Pursuit of Happyness (as Chris Gardner), the latter of which has already demonstrated Smith's ability to play an inspirational father figure. With that in mind, the based-on-a-true-story movie King Richard appears to be the perfect vehicle for him to finally earn the title: Academy Award Winner Will Smith.
As a truly feel-good movie, King Richard is receiving resoundingly positive reviews. Critics and fans agree that the movie soars because of Will Smith's lead performance. Smith has been a box office star for decades with his ability to turn out summer blockbusters, but Academy voters seem likely to really connect with his more personal, heavy roles. His latest successful transformation into a real-life character battling the odds only heightens his odds for winning the Oscar. With the positive reception of the film and the endless praise for his performance, Will Smith is a clear frontrunner and fan-favorite to accept the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in King Richard.
