The biopic King Richard explores the upbringing of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, but it also features several other notable real-life tennis players and coaches. The Oscar-winning film’s events take place in the late 1980s and early ’90s, examining the peculiar methods of Richard Williams and his arguably extreme plan to turn his two daughters into tennis stars. King Richard is accurate to real life in many ways, including in its portrayals of the various tennis figures who took part in their journey.
Most of the King Richard cast play real-life people, from the Williams/Price family to various coaches, opposing players, and characters in tennis media. The sense of realism in the film adds to the acclaim, with significant praise going to Will Smith for his true-to-life interpretation of the titular character. The film’s end offers viewers some tidbits about the main characters’ lives after the film, but there are 30 years of stories to explore about many of those individuals after the fact.
Played expertly by Saniyya Sidney in King Richard, the older sister, Venus Williams, takes precedence in the film, as she’s the first of Richard’s daughters to go pro. Over the past thirty years, Venus Williams became one of the most accomplished tennis players ever, with five Wimbledon Grand Slam titles and two more at the US Open. Though she’s past her prime, Venus is still actively playing in 2024.
In the 2000s, she argued for equal prize money for female tennis players, leveraging her status and notoriety as one of the world’s greatest athletes to change tennis. Venus Williams has an astonishing 818-276 record throughout her singles career, and she’s also made an impact outside the game. She was involved as a producer on King Richard and has various business ventures, including minority ownership of the Miami Dolphins.
Though she wasn’t featured as prominently in King Richard, a scene depicts Richard telling Serena that he planned for her to become the greatest player of all time. Thirty years later, this is widely regarded to be a fact, with a vast resume of accomplishments in the sport, even outshining her sister. Serena Williams has a whopping 23 Grand Slam singles titles and an overall record of 858-156.
Serena Williams retired from playing professional tennis in 2022, having won a Grand Slam as recently as 2017. Serena and Venus also worked together to win 14 doubles titles, setting a record for going unbeaten in major doubles finals. Serena is now married to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, and the two just recently welcomed their second child. She’s also enjoyed her celebrity status by making cameos in various movies and shows, including Glass Onion and Pixels.
Will Smith’s Richard Williams is the film’s focal point, examining the father and coach’s questionable methods that were a source of controversy in the 1990s. The movie definitely offers a kinder perspective on the father, allowing him to pass along uplifting messages and some of the best King Richard quotes, though it still demonstrates the flaws in his teaching method. Richard’s meticulous planning for his daughters and rigorous training were accurate, but to an extent, it’s hard to argue with the results.
In 2024, Richard Williams is 82-years-old. He’s been divorced from Oracene Price (Serena and Venus’s mother) since 2002 and has since remarried and divorced again. He has published two books about social issues in America and sports. Williams is no longer in the public eye but is still actively engaged with his family.
Portrayed by Aunjanue Ellis in King Richard, Oracene Price is the mother of Venus and Serena Williams, who played an active role in their coaching. Price is credited with coaching accolades for her daughters’ careers and has actively taken part in their professional lives, though not a coach in the traditional sense. Though the film focuses on Richard, Oracene Price played an instrumental role in the greatness of Serena and Venus Williams, on top of being the household’s primary financial contributor.
Oracene Price is 72-years-old in 2024, though her life isn’t as well-documented in recent years. She’s been divorced for over two decades, with King Richard suggesting that she’d move on from the marriage if not for her children. She’s now a grandmother and seems to be deservedly enjoying the luxurious lifestyle awarded to her by Serena and Venus’s legendary careers.
In King Richard, Paul Cohen is introduced as the tennis coach of famed player John McEnroe. He’s one of the people Richard attempts to persuade to help shape Venus and Serena and is the first to agree to coach them. However, Cohen only agrees to coach Venus, believing her to be the more talented player at the time. Paul Cohen isn’t the most well-known figure in the tennis world, but he was vital to the early development of two of the greatest players of all time.
Paul Cohen’s recent history isn’t documented, but he’s had a busy life away from tennis. He’s a world champion arm wrestler and is the founder of a company called Grass Roots Research and Distribution. The film depicted him as a sympathetic but business-oriented coach who hoped to connect the Williams family with sponsors and financial help early on. However, Rick Macci is recognized as the Williams sisters’ primary coach.
King Richard is one of Jon Bernthal’s best movies, as the 47-year-old actor is excellent in the supporting role of Rick Macci, adding heart and levity to the biopic. Rick Macci is another very real tennis coach who’s credited in the film with taking an active role in coaching the Williams sisters in their childhood, preparing them for their professional tennis careers. Macci was undoubtedly one of the most vital figures in their development as great players, but it’s far from his only accomplishment.
Macci is 69 years old in 2024 and has been actively involved in the tennis world since 1970. Macci has been inducted into the USPTA Florida Hall of Fame and the USPTA Hall of Fame in 2010 and 2017, respectively, and has also coached players like Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, and Jennifer Capriati. Macci is active on his X account, where he shares stories about his time working with the Williams family.
King Richard wasn’t exactly kind to Jennifer Capriati, framing her as an antagonist and dirty player in the film’s third act when she plays against the younger Venus Williams in a professional tournament. Capriati wins the day through questionable tactics in the movie, but her successful tennis career speaks for itself. Capriati has won three Grand Slam titles in the Australian Open and French Open, with a career record of 430-176.
Jennifer Capriati was the No. 1 tennis player in the world, a title she held in 2001. She played against the Williams sisters several times throughout her career, with a 0-4 record against Venus and a 7-10 record against Serena. Capriati’s final season was in 2004. Decades later, Capriati generally keeps a low profile, avoiding the public eye, though she’ll occasionally post on her X account.
John McEnroe is another highly accomplished tennis player who had a brief appearance in King Richard, played by Christopher Wallinger. He’s seen being coached by Paul Cohen before the arrival of Richard, Venus, and Serena and takes little interest in their endeavors. McEnroe has had a successful career in tennis and in his life away from the game. McEnroe’s professional debut was in 1978, and he played singles until 1994 and doubles until 2006.
As a player, McEnroe had an impressive 883-198 singles record, including three Grand Slam wins at Wimbledon and four at the US Open. Like many famous athletes, John McEnroe has become a sports commentator in his post-tennis career, contributing to networks like ESPN, CBS, NBC, and more. McEnroe was one of the only people to step forward and claim he wasn’t accurately portrayed in King Richard, saying, “I didn’t walk away in disgust, (or) refuse to see Serena,” though he added that he thought the movie was great (via NY Post).
In the scene where Paul Cohen is introduced, Pete Sampras is the other player scene sitting beside him, who gives his coach the “okay” to let Venus and Serena get some hits in. Sampras only has one line in the movie, but he’s another successful tennis player depicted in the film. Sampras was another former No. 1 player with a dominant career throughout the 1990s before retiring in 2002 after his fifth US Open win.
Sampras had an impressive 762-222 singles record and won a remarkable seven Wimbledon Grand Slams, winning nearly every year in the 1990s. He played exhibition tennis in brief stints after his retirement but has largely remained off the grid in his post-tennis life. Pete Sampras is 52 years old now and maintains a private life. He is married to actress Bridgette Wilson, who starred in ’90s classics like Billy Madison.