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Richard Williams has garnered renewed attention across the globe following the release of his biographical film King Richard starring Will Smith in the titular role.
The film was declared a blockbuster hit in the first week of its release, making Will Smith one of the top contenders for the next Academy Awards. The movie traces the life of American tennis coach Richard Williams and his role in shaping his daughters Venus and Serena Williams’ career.
What are Richard Williams' current whereabouts?
King Richard also led to a general curiosity about Richard Williams’ current whereabouts among fans as he has been away from the spotlight for the past few years. According to The New York Post, the 79-year-old currently lives in Atlanta and suffers from poor health conditions.
His health has reportedly deteriorated after he suffered two major strokes in 2016. The first stroke impacted his speech and he has since been placed under the care of his son Chavoita LeSane.
Richard Williams has also been embroiled in a legal battle with his third wife Lakeisha Juanita Graham following their divorce in 2017. His son, Chavoita LeSane, also has his power of attorney, as the former coach is reportedly incapable of conducting any business.
As per court documents obtained by The Sun, the former coach suffers from “brain damage” and “dementia.” Despite his health issues, Richard Williams still visits his daughters.
In 2019, Venus Williams posted a picture alongside her father and mentioned that he does not miss his daughters’ home practice even though he can no longer be part of their tour. Earlier this month, Serena Williams posted a video of Richard playing with his granddaughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian.
However, amid the ongoing appreciation about Richard Williams’ bond with daughters Venus and Selena, his eldest daughter Sabrina Williams opened up about her relationship with her father, criticizing the latter in the process.
Sabrina Williams opens about strained relationship with father Richard Williams
King Richard is earning immense recognition across the globe for showcasing Richard Williams’ contribution in establishing Venus and Selena Williams’ record-breaking career in tennis. However, the film has left his estranged daughter Sabrina Williams completely disappointed.
Richard Williams shares Sabrina Williams with his first wife, Betty Johnson. The duo married in 1965 and had five children together, Sabrina, Richard III, Ronner, Reluss and Reneeka. However, the tennis coach allegedly walked out of the marriage and divorced Betty in 1973.
He met his second wife Oracene Price in 1979 and married her the following year. The pair had two children together, Venus and Serena Williams. As portrayed in the biographical film, Richard Williams largely devoted his life to taking his two daughters closer to stardom, even going to extreme lengths in the process.
Meanwhile, his remaining children reportedly grew up in extreme poverty, battling critical economic conditions. In an interview with The Sun, Sabrina Williams shared her views on King Richard and also opened up about her father:
"I think the title [of the film] is completely over the top. He thinks he's the king of the world, but no one that's ever been around him thinks he's King Richard. It is an outrageous title, but to truth be told, it fits him. He's not the king of the world. If you look at him psychologically, it's something he's never achieved apart from in his head - he’s lived only through two of his daughters forsaking all his other children.”
Sabrina claimed that Richard Williams contributed to Venus and Serena’s career as it would make him a millionaire in return:
"Truth be told, those girls rose to the top while his other children had to suffer because of the choices my dad made, we were raised in poverty after he left. He choose tennis for them, as he knew it could also make him a millionaire."
She alleged that her father suddenly left the family by going out to buy a bike and never returning home:
"My sister Reneeka was a baby eight weeks old when my dad left. How do you leave a baby? I was eight years old, and he left under the pretense 'I'm gonna get you a bike?' I can laugh about it now. If my mom was still alive, she'd laugh... She stopped giving a damn about my dad a long time before she died."
Sabrina further criticized King Richard director Reinaldo Marcus Green for eliminating the first thirty years of Richard Williams’ life from the film:
"It's a comedy, no? How can you make a movie by telling half the story?”
She also slammed Will Smith for taking the titular role and said the actor should be “ashamed” of his choice:
"They say Will Smith is probably getting an Academy Award for this, I held him in a deep regard, but, as a black American, he should have wanted to tell the full story. Will Smith is not dumb. They got to grow up better, and didn't have to harvest for food, or worry about their next meal. It would have been nice to have a backstory."
However, the 57-year-old also mentioned that she feels her father still remembers his first family:
"I think it's just sad, because there's no way that my dad doesn't think about me, or my other brothers and sisters. There's just no way in your life that you can put that to the side and not think about it. I feel sympathy for him like, dude, you need to come to terms with this. He hasn't forgotten us, he’s just put us in a compartment. You know that part of your world exists, but you just don't want to deal with it - and that's a sad thing.”
Sabrina shared that she also went to counseling to deal with her anger issues stemming from her strained relationship with Richard Williams:
"My dad is not a good dad, he was never a good dad and that's the truth. But, at some point, you have to take responsibility. That's why I went to counseling - I'm a better person because I realize I can't just blame my dad."
She also concluded that she would possibly never meet Richard Williams nor would she get the chance to attend his funeral:
"I don't think I'll see him alive. I've even buried my dad in my head because I know I won't be able to attend his funeral. That's just not going to be an option, they’re not going to let me, they won't even tell me. I’ll find out from the media reports or a friend.”
As Sabrina Williams provided a scathing insight into Richard Williams’ early life in the wake of his biopic, it remains to be seen if Will Smith or Reinaldo Green will address the situation in the days to come.
So far, Venus and Serena Williams, as well as Richard Williams’ representatives have also maintained their silence regarding the issue.
