Regina King Is Shirley Chisholm in New Netflix Biopic Shirley
Regina King stars as icon Shirley Chisholm in the Netflix film Shirley, debuting March 22.
Written and directed by Oscar-winner John Ridley, Shirley chronicles Chisholm’s run for president of the United States in 1972. During this run, Shirley Chisholm became the first Black candidate to seek a major party’s presidential nomination. It is worth noting that Chisholm was already a pioneer before her presidential candidacy.
Chisholm became the second African American elected to the New York State Assembly in 1964. A few years later, in 1968, she became the first Black woman elected as a congresswoman. Chisholm represented New York’s twelfth congressional district from 1969 to 1983, serving seven consecutive terms. From there, Chisholm adopted the moniker “Fighting Shirley” and introduced over 50 legislations. She was also a champion for human rights, often advocating for racial and gender equality, socioeconomic justice, and an end to the Vietnam War.
The cast is star-studded, with appearances from Andre Holland, the late Lance Reddick, Sam Elliot, and many other notable faces. Terrence Howard portrays Conrad Chisholm, Shirley’s husband and temporary bodyguard.
Regina King is Shirley Chisholm in Shirley — premiering March 22.
— Netflix (@netflix) January 9, 2024
Also starring Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, Dorian Missick, Amirah Vann, Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, and Reina King with André Holland and Terrence Howard. pic.twitter.com/OuyUOiAgqt
King’s last role was in 2019 when she starred as Trudy Smith in the American Western Netflix film The Harder They Fall. King taking on the role of Shirley comes as no surprise, considering her long-lived support and admiration of the icon. In 2018, King honored Chisholm on her birthday, November 30, quoting Shirley’s campaign slogan in an Instagram post, “Unbought and Unbossed.”
Shirley Chisholm passed away on January 1, 2005, but her legacy lives on. When asked about her legacy before she passed, Chisholm stated, “I want to be remembered as a woman … who dared to be a catalyst of change.”
Audiences can check out Netflix’s official trailer for Shirley above.
