Woman King Director Thanks Supporters Buying Out Theaters to Show the Film: 'Incredibly Moving'

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The Woman King director Gina Prince-Bythewood said it is "incredibly moving" that celebrities across Hollywood are supporting her movie.

Last Friday, Prince-Bythewood (Love and Basketball) told Shadow And Act in a statement that the support for her movie shows "people want to share the feeling the film has given them" amid a report that a number of Black celebrities are buying out entire theaters for fans to go see The Woman King.

"Folks are riding for this film and it is incredibly moving because it means people want to share the feeling the film has given them," Prince-Bythewood said. "But more so there is a palpable feeling of so many rooting for the film because it's success touches all of us."

"When one of us succeeds, it keeps the door open for more of us to disrupt the industry with our original stories," she added.

Some of the celebrities who have reportedly bought out entire theaters for Woman King screenings since it debuted Sept. 16 include Octavia Spencer, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, Lena Waithe, Sanaa Lathan, Kandi Burruss, SZA, Jennifer Hudson, Taraji P. Henson, Boris and Nicole Kodjoe, Gabrielle Union, Tina Knowles-Lawson and Luvvie Ajayi, according to Shadow and Bone.

RELATED: Viola Davis and Woman King Director Defend Against Backlash Calling for Boycott of Movie

Sony Pictures The Woman King (2022)

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The movie stars Viola Davis as the commander of the all-female Agojie military unit of the Dahomey kingdom in 1800s Africa alongside Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and John Boyega. It debuted at the box office's top spot in its opening weekend and continued with a strong hold in the following weeks.

"I think people have a tendency to say we only represent a certain percentage of the box office," Davis, 57, told Variety of the film's performance in September. "We know Black women. We know they're going to bring people they work with, spouses and families, and come back five or six times during the weekend."

"We are in an industry that doesn't see the power Black women have at the global box office," she added.

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RELATED: Viola Davis Says She's 'Open' to The Woman King Sequel After Film Opens to No. 1 at Box Office

"There was a sense that our stories aren't universal and can't reach the white man or woman or the Hispanic man or woman," Davis told the outlet, adding that "human stories are for everyone, not just Black consumption."

The Oscar winner also shared a conversation she had with a white woman who enjoyed the movie and expressed her surprise for liking it. "I know my story can reach you as your story can reach me," she recalled telling the woman. "The only one it surprises is you."

When Davis' The Help costar Spencer announced she was footing the bill for a Sept. 24 showing of the movie at a theater in Los Angeles, she wrote on Instagram, "You can watch @WomanKingMovie on me! It's first come, first served ... Arrive early to get your free ticket, small popcorn and small soda to see this amazing film starring my friend @violadavis and directed by @gpbmadeit. I am so excited for you all to see it."

In the comment section, Davis replied, "Thank you, Octavia! Love you sis," and Spencer wrote back, "love you, too! Congratulations on this fantastic movie. It's a story we needed to see and only you could do it justice. So proud for you!!!"

The Woman King is now in theaters.