‘Shirley’ trailer: Oscar winner Regina King stars as historic Black politician Shirley Chisholm [WATCH]

David Buchanan
·2 min read
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“I am running for President,” states Regina King as Shirley Chisholm in the official trailer for the film based on the life of the eponymous trailblazing Black politician. In 1968, Chisholm became the first Black representative in the United States Congress, elected to serve one of New York’s congressional districts. Four years later, she makes that bold proclamation about her intention to run for U.S. President, becoming the first Black candidate to run for the office. The movie, written and directed by Oscar winner John Ridley, debuts on Netflix on March 22. Watch the official “Shirley” trailer below.

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As the film chronicles, Chisholm’s aspirations for the presidency were not met with universal encouragement. Even though she took on the arduous task of mounting a presidential campaign because she has “an opportunity to make a difference,” she faces scrutiny for her positions, being told she sounds “just like every other politician.” Brian Stokes Mitchell’s Stanley Townsend goes so far as to tell her, “This isn’t a campaign, it’s a joke.” To combat this disregard, Chisholm receives the endorsement of the Black Panthers, described in the trailer as a match of “thunder and lightning.”

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The ensemble boasts many acclaimed performers, not only King but also Oscar nominee Lucas Hedges, Oscar nominee Terrence Howard, Broadway legend Mitchell, the late Lance Reddick, Dorian Crossmond Missick, Amirah Vann and André Holland.

King has become one of this century’s most lauded screen performers, winning four Emmy Awards (two for “American Crime,” one for “Seven Seconds” and one for “Watchmen”) and, of course, the Academy Award for “If Beale Street Could Talk” in 2019. Although early in the 2025 Oscar cycle, “Shirley” could put her in the conversation for the first Best Actress nomination of the performer’s career. “Shirley” will have a limited theatrical release on Friday, March 15 before dropping on Netflix on Friday, March 22.

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