With ‘King Richard,’ Will Smith Could Become Second Black Man to Be Oscar-Nominated for Acting and Producing

Reinaldo Marcus Green’s sports drama “King Richard” is shaping up to have the same advantage that propelled “The Blind Side” to a best actress Oscar for Sandra Bullock. Its centerpiece is Will Smith, who’s now at the forefront of what is going to be a cutthroat best actor race. “King Richard” is the “Rocky” of tennis movies, but also the “Rocky” for every Black child that will watch this and be inspired to greatness in the future, the kind of inspiration our community doesn’t often see.Smith is one of the most influential and successful ’90s movie stars who has yet to win an Academy Award. Along with Tom Cruise, Smith remains in the Oscar-less realm, 20 years after nabbing his first nom for Michael Mann’s “Ali” (2001), which he followed up with Gabriel Mucchino’s “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006). Showcasing some of his finest moments as an actor,...