‘King Richard’ director on relating to Williams sisters and nabbing Oscar noms

The Business

KCRW

Tv & Film

4.6 • 676 Ratings

🗓️ 25 February 2022

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Before he even landed the job, director Reinaldo Marcus Green could tell that the film “King Richard” was a special project for the superstar sitting across the table from him – Will Smith. “I could sense that this was a really, really important role for him,and that he was going to give everything to it, and that I was the guy to help him get there.” Though he had only directed two features before, Green was hired and got to work building his filmmaking dream team. Although filming hit snags because of pandemic shutdowns, “King Richard” has nabbed six Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Will Smith. The story of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, and the family effort behind their success, is also up for Best Picture.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From KCRW, I'm Kim Masters, and this is The Business.
0:06.1	Director Rinaldo Marcus Green didn't even have two completed films under his belt when he met with Will Smith about taking on King Richard.
0:14.7	Green had made a well-received indie and was in the midst of making another film that wouldn't be so well received.
0:21.3	But he didn't lack confidence when he first came face-to-face with the iconic star.
0:26.6	He spent, what, 20, 30 years, you know, making it at the top of his craft,
0:31.3	but he still has a lot more to give.
0:34.1	And I can sense that.
0:35.6	I can sense that in him, that this was a really, really important role for him
0:40.5	and that he was going to give everything to it and that I was the guy to help him get there.
0:45.3	And it seems he did.
0:46.6	Will Smith is now an Oscar contention for Best Actor, Rinaldo Marcus Green, on a rapid ascent to the big leagues.
0:53.7	But first we banter.
0:55.2	Stick around.
0:55.9	It's the business from KCRW.
1:01.2	I am joined by my colleague in banter.
1:03.7	Matt Bellany.
1:04.2	Hello, Matt.
1:04.9	Hi there.
1:05.3	So, Matt, David Zaslov is now within weeks of taking over the combined discovery and Warner Media entity,
1:14.3	the merged companies. He is starting to talk more about the plans before he had federal
1:19.3	approval. He couldn't talk about those plans, but now he has it and he can. He told investors
1:24.7	in the last few days that he is not plunging into the streaming wars,
	...

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