Actress Regina King Dons a New Hat
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photo by steed media |
Regina King is taking on a new role these days. For the first time in her career, she’ll be sitting in the director’s chair rather than standing in front of the camera.
The 23-year-old acting veteran is currently directing her first film, an adaptation of ReShonda Tate Billingsley’s novel, Let the Church Say Amen.
King admits she was drawn to the film, which is set to begin shooting in January, because of its unique subject matter. “No matter the religion, preachers love their families, but so much goes to the congregation that the family ends up losing a lot. So the story’s about one preacher’s dysfunctional family,” she explains.
Describing the film as a “dramedy,” King is confident that many will be able to identify with. “Even if you didn’t grow up in the church, you grew up close to the church,” asserts the petite, Hollywood veteran.
Fans shouldn’t expect to see King in front of the camera, however; the 37-year-old has no plans of appearing in the film. “You can’t be 100 percent at both [acting and directing], so I would never ever have my directorial debut be something I was [also] in,” she contends. “Not to say that people who direct and act in projects aren’t good, but something loses.”
King admits that that she may eventually open to the idea in the future. “I’m not saying I won’t ever do it at some point,” she concedes. “But if I do, it would just be like a cameo or walk-on.”
Let the Church Say Amen is slated to be released in 2009 through a partnership between King’s production company, Royal Ties Productions, and Codeblack Entertainment. –ivory m. jones
