Shirley Trivia | 25 facts about the movie

Shirley is a 2024 American biographical drama film written and directed by John Ridley depicting the 1972 presidential run of Shirley Chisholm.

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1. Shirley is a 2024 American biographical drama film.
2. It was written and directed by John Ridley.
3. It depicts the 1972 presidential run of Shirley Chisholm.
4. She was already the first Black woman to be elected to the United States Congress.
5. The film stars Regina King in the title role.
6. Alongside Regina King star Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, André Holland, and Terrence Howard.
7. Shirley had a limited theatrical release in the United States on March 15, 2024.
8. It then had its streaming debut on Netflix on March 22, 2024.
9. In February 2021, it was announced that a biographical film based on the life and career of Shirley Chisholm was in development.
10. It was also announced Regina King cast in the eponymous role and John Ridley directing and writing the screenplay.
11. In December 2021, Lance Reddick, Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges,  Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, André Holland, and Terrence Howard, and Ethan Jones Romero joined the cast.
12. Brian Stokes Mitchell,Brad James, and Regina King ultimately rounded out the cast.
13. As of December 7, 2021, filming had begun in Cincinnati.
14. Shirley had a limited theatrical release in the United States on March 15, 2024, before its streaming debut on Netflix on March 22, 2024.
15. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 75% of 25 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10.
16. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 58 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating “mixed or average” reviews.
17. Final appearance of Lance Reddick before his death in the Year of March 17th (2023).
18. Composer Tamar-kali previously scored another movie with the same title – Shirley (2020), about novelist Shirley Jackson.
19. It’s one of Terrence Howard’s last films before his retirement.
20. Because Chisholm died in 2005, the filmmakers had to look to other sources.
21. “Most of the research we did was through her books, including Unbought and Unbossed and The Good Fight, documentaries, any news footage and articles, everything that we could pull to put us in the place that told us who Shirley was, and what was important to tell about her story,” Reina King said.
22. But the film set did receive a visit from one of the people portrayed in Shirley: U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA).
23. Lee got her start working on Chisholm’s presidential campaign and is played in the film by Christina Jackson.
24. “Having Barbara Lee come and visit the set was definitely like she was giving us Shirley’s blessing in a lot of ways,” Regina King said. “Barbara represents just how someone can come into your life and not only inspire you, but kind of put a lightbulb in your head to let you know, ‘Oh, this is what I’m supposed to be doing. There is something within me that I have to give way beyond just this moment.’ Shirley lit that fire in Barbara by example.”
25. Chisholm’s campaign slogan, “Unbought and Unbossed,” reflected her individual spirit and a promise to voters that she would work for them, rather than for wealthy special interests. It was also the title of her 1970 autobiography.