‘I’m much more interesting now than I was at 25’: Regina King talks turning 50, encouraging ‘richer storytelling’ and making history with her directorial debut One Night in Miami
Regina King has declared she’s ‘much more interesting now than I was at 25’ as she discussed turning 50.
In February’s issue of British Vogue, the actress, who will reach the milestone next Friday, insisted she believes she can ‘bring much more to the table’ with her 36-year career, despite not having ‘as much stamina’ compared to when she was younger.
The screen star also touched on encouraging ‘richer storytelling’ and making history with her movie One Night in Miami, which became the first film directed by an African-American woman to be selected at last year’s Venice film festival.
‘I’m so much better’: Regina King has declared she’s ‘much more interesting now than I was at 25’ as she’s discussed turning 50 (pictured in 2019)
On her upcoming 50th birthday, the Jerry Maguire star shared: ‘I feel like I’m so much more interesting now, as a soon to be 50 year old woman, than I was at 25.
‘I can bring so much more to the table. I think that’s the same for all people. You may not have the stamina that you had at 25, but what you know now? So much better.’
The thespian marked a breakthrough in her profession in late 2020 as she made her directorial debut with One Night in Miami, which follows a fictionalised meeting between iconic figures Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke.
Onwards and upwards: In a new interview, the actress, 49, insisted she believes she can ‘bring much more to the table’ with her 36-year career (pictured aged 26 in Jerry Maguire)
‘This is what I’m looking for’: The screen star also touched on encouraging ‘richer storytelling’ and making history with her directorial debut One Night in Miami (Eli Goree as Muhammad Ali)
Recalling the moment she received the screenplay for the Amazon Studios hit, the media personality said: ‘I thought, ”Oh my god, this is exactly what I’m looking for.”Am I part of, or have I witnessed, these conversations? Absolutely.
‘But they’ve always been private – it felt like an opportunity to tell a true sentiment that has existed within the black community in America forever, but through the eyes of these giants. It spoke to me in a very powerful way.’
The Friday star also spoke about the Academy Awards’ new guidelines to increase diversity of under-represented groups, both on and off the screen.
Out soon: The February issue of British Vogue is available from January 8
Expressing her thoughts on the new initiative, the Los Angeles native said: ‘I hope that it will encourage people to broaden their perspective and make for richer storytelling.
‘The Oscars, at the end of the day, were designed for promotion, and obviously I’m not taking away that it’s also to honour filmmakers and artists, but it was the intent with these awards shows to boost ticket sales.
‘With the numbers being off for so long, to be part of a conversation that’s saying you could possibly, finally, see an Academy ceremony with more that one Best Picture or Best Director nomination for a woman is fantastic.
‘Being talked about in the same conversations as [Chloé] Zhao is … wow. It’s gratifying.’
See the full feature in the February issue of British Vogue available via digital download and on newsstands Friday 8th January.
‘I hope it will encourage people to broaden their perspective’: The thespian also discussed the Oscars’ diversity initiative (pictured with the Best Supporting Actress trophy at the 2019 show)