Here's how the cast of 'Shirley' compares to the real-life people they're playing

• Writer and director John Ridley's new Netflix film "Shirley" stars Regina King as Shirley Chisholm.

• The movie chronicles Chisholm's historic 1972 presidential campaign.

• Here's how the cast compares to the real-life people they play.

Trailblazer Shirley Chisholm's influence continues to reverberate decades after she ran for president of the United States.

Chisholm, the first Black congresswoman, gets the Hollywood treatment in the new movie "Shirley," written and directed by John Ridley. The film is now streaming on Netflix and specifically concentrates on Chisholm's groundbreaking 1972 presidential campaign.

Here's how the cast of "Shirley" compares to the real-life figures they portray.

Academy Award winner Regina King stars as Shirley Chisholm.

Chisholm, born in Brooklyn, was the first Black woman elected to the US Congress. She served for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. She died at age 80 in 2005.

King has been acting professionally since the '80s, beginning with the TV show "227." She's known for her roles in films like "Jerry Maguire," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," "A Cinderella Story," and "If Beale Street Could Talk," which earned the actor an Oscar in 2019.

King also won a Primetime Emmy for her performance as Angela Abar/Sister Night on HBO's limited series adaptation of the graphic novel "Watchmen."

She made her feature film directorial debut with the 2020 movie "One Night in Miami...," based on a stage play of the same name about a meeting between legendary figures Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke.

Lucas Hedges portrays Robert Gottlieb, Chisholm's former intern who served as a youth coordinator during her presidential campaign.

Gottlieb is still alive and has his own firm called Robert C. Gottlieb & Associates PLLC. He has also been supportive of "Shirley" and attended the film's Los Angeles premiere.

Hedges is known for his Oscar-nominated performance in "Manchester by the Sea," as well as roles in films like "Moonrise Kingdom," "Lady Bird," and "Boy Erased."

Stage and screen actor Michael Cherrie plays Conrad Chisholm, a private investigator and Shirley's first husband.

The pair were married from 1949 to 1977.

Prior to "Shirley," Cherrie starred in various projects in his home country of Trinidad and Tobago. He also appeared in US stage adaptations of "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Lobby Hero," "Othello," and "Romeo and Juliet."

Dorian Missick portrays politician Ron Dellums.

Dellums was a member of the US House of Representatives from 1971 to 1998 and served as the mayor of Oakland, California, from 2007 to 2011. He also cofounded the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in 1971 with Chisholm and others.

Missick has appeared on shows like "Luke Cage," "Southland," and "For Life."

"The Changeling" and "Queen Sugar" star Amirah Vann plays actor and singer Diahann Carroll.

Carroll was recognized for playing the titular role on the TV series "Julia," which earned her a Golden Globe award in 1968. The show was noteworthy for being the first to center on a Black woman who wasn't a servant.

She also landed an Oscar nomination for her performance in the film "Claudine." Throughout her career, Carroll was nominated for three Emmys for "Julia," "A Different World," and "Grey's Anatomy." She was also a Grammy nominee and Tony Award winner for her work in "No Strings."

Vann is best known for roles on the TV shows "Underground" and "How to Get Away With Murder."

W. Earl Brown stars as segregationist and former Alabama governor George Wallace.

Wallace, a brazen supporter of segregation, was Chisholm's competitor in the Democratic primary campaign. He became paralyzed from the waist down after a failed assassination attempt in 1972.

Brown is known for playing Dan Dority on the TV series "Deadwood." He also portrayed a Weequay proprietor on the "Star Wars" shows "The Mandalorian" and "The Book of Boba Fett."

"Moonlight" star André Holland portrays DC congressional delegate Walter Fauntroy.

Fauntroy was a civil rights activist who cofounded the Congressional Black Caucus.

In addition to starring in Barry Jenkins' "Moonlight," Holland also had roles in "American Horror Story," "Castle Rock," "Passing," and "Bones and All."

Oscar nominee Terrence Howard portrays Arthur Hardwick, Chisholm's second husband.

Hardwick was a fundraiser and advisor during Chisholm's 1972 campaign. They were married from 1977 until his death in 1986.

Howard has been acting since the '90s and is known for roles in "Hustle & Flow," "Crash," and "Empire."

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