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King Richard Film Bags Another Honor as Will Smith Wins the BAFTA for the Leading Actor

Published 03/14/2022, 12:31 AM EDT

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We all have heard the fact that ‘behind every successful man, there is a woman.’ However, in the case of the Williams sisters, it was their father, Richard Williams, behind their success. He worked day in and day out to ensure that his daughters received the necessary training in tennis. Further, Venus and Serena Williams didn’t let him down, as they went on to become one of the most successful siblings in the game. The film, King Richard, wonderfully depicts the role Richard Williams played in the success of his daughters. American superstar, Will Smith, played Richard Williams in the film.

The movie was critically acclaimed and became a massive hit at the box office. Additionally, it received numerous awards in various categories. Recently, it added another trophy to its glittering cabinet.

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Will Smith wins the BAFTA

Earlier today, the award ceremony for the 2022 EE British Academy Film Awards took place. London’s Royal Albert Hall hosted the ceremony. The movie ‘King Richard’ continued to win accolades as Will Smith bagged the BAFTA in the ‘Leading Actor’ category. The American superstar defeated the likes of Adeel Akhtar, Mahershala Ali, Benedict Cumberbatch, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Stephen Graham to take home the award. The film’s director, Reinaldo Marcus Green, accepted the award on Smith’s behalf.

King Richard’s trophy cabinet

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Along with the BAFTA, the film has won several laurels over the past few months. It bagged the Golden Globe Award for ‘Best Actor in Motion Picture Drama’. Further, it won the Screen Actors Guild Award for ‘Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture’. Additionally, the film was also a part of AFI Movies of the Year.

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via Reuters

The film has even received as many as six nominations at the Academy Awards, which will be held on March 27, 2022.  Nonetheless, awards and glories set aside, Serena recently admitted that the movie ‘King Richard’ was important to clear the misconceptions surrounding her father.

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Moreover, she said that it was important, to tell the truth. Also, Venus and Serena were amongst the executive producers of the film.

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Written by:

Vatsal Shah

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Vatsal Shah is a tennis author at EssentiallySports. With a Bachelor's degree in engineering, he is a die hard fan of tennis and sports in general. He is an ardent follower of Rafael Nadal and is inspired by his never-say-die attitude.
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Edited by:

Niranjan Deodhar