Richard Williams, the 80-year-old father of tennis stars Serena Williams and Venus Williams, shared some short videos on his Facebook page ahead of the Oscars ceremony. In the videos, the Academy nominated “King Richard” star looks faint as he just stares at the camera, looking clumsy and confused with a casual red Nike T-shirt and a light green colored polo.
The former tennis coach is currently living a low-key life in West Palm Beach, Florida, while he is battling a messy divorce with his third wife Lakeisha Juanita Williams. The bitter legal battle between the two began in 2017 when the couple filed for divorce. Richard, who has suffered two strokes in recent years, also suffers from a neurological condition that “could hardly speak” to him. He was also missing from Biopic’s promotional campaign.
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According to Richard’s lawyer, he has suffered “irreparable brain damage” and dementia in recent years and rarely makes public appearances with his famous girls. The former tennis coach is currently under the care of his son Chavoita LeSane, who is a music promoter and is named as a lawyer, based on court documents filed in Richard’s divorce.
Richard’s weddings
Richard is now retired and the biopic about his life has faced some criticism from his firstborn, daughter, and tennis star Sabrina Williams, who says she was abandoned by him as a child. William married his first wife and Sabrina’s mother Betty Johnson in Los Angeles in the early 1960’s and they had four children together. He allegedly dumped the mother of four by going out the door to buy Sabrina a bike and then never came back. He later married Serena and Venus’ mother Oracene Price in 1980, but they divorced in 2002. Price, who has three more daughters from a previous marriage, is also a well-known tennis coach who helped both Serena as well as to train Venus.
Serena and Venus’ mother bashes the film before the Oscars
Before the Oscars, Price slammed the film, claiming it was the truth about Richard and how he left his first family. “But I don’t think Will should get an award for how the film was made,” she said. “Because it did not tell the whole truth. Is that his fault? No, he is an actor. What is his job? To make money. I understand it.”
“But for me, I think it’s a moral thing, because other movies [show the backstory]. It just seems like everyone was trying to keep it out because they kept the good image [of Richard]. And do not want to hear about it, “she added.
The film has reportedly made over $ 35 million at the box office and has been nominated for an impressive six Academy Awards including Best Actor for Will Smith playing Richard in the film ahead of the ceremony on Sunday, March 27th.
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