Talking With: Christopher Wallinger from Warner Bros Biopic ‘KING RICHARD’
Interview with actor Christopher Wallinger, acing it on the big screen as a tennis icon witnessing two young superstars in the making.
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This edition of Talking With focuses on actor Christopher Wallinger, who portrays the legendary tennis bad boy John McEnroe in the new biopic King Richard, starring Will Smith in the titular role as father to future tennis greats, Venus and Serena Williams.
The period film tells the story of a struggling but determined Richard Williams as he pushes his daughters to break into the highly competitive world of professional tennis. Wallinger appears in the storyline in time to observe the quiet passion of Richard as he makes his pitch to a star tennis coach.
Wallinger knew how special it was to step into the shoes of a wild and iconic character like McEnroe, and his preparation for the role had him diving deep into archival footage of the pro. Besides watching hours of McEnroe battling it out on the courts, both with players and umpires alike, Wallinger also studied spirited interviews and appearances, where McEnroe often donned caricatures of himself.
King Richard gave Wallinger an exciting experience in a big studio film, who already has a long string of TV credits. Audiences will recognize him from the Fox laugher, New Girl, as nice guy Teddy Sherman who deflowers Jess during the episode “Virgins.” Wallinger also recurred on the Showtime reboot, L Word: Generation Q, and in the FX anthology, Impeachment: American Crime Story.
To learn more, we are Talking With Christopher Wallinger.
Why did you want to be part of King Richard?
CHRISTOPHER WALLINGER: I was so excited to work on this project! What an incredible opportunity to work with Will Smith and Reynaldo Marcus Green. But also, I really wanted to see what I could do with a character like McEnroe. He's such a larger and louder than life tennis legend, I just knew it would be a ton of fun.
What was it like playing tennis legend John McEnroe?
CW: It was so much fun. So often in film, things are understated or "played small." That wasn't so much the case with the character McEnroe. I got to really let loose; throw racquets, scream, and yell. Obviously, not everything that we tried made it into the film, but it was a super fun shoot.
As an actor, what helped you the most in bringing him to life?
CW: To prepare, I watched hours of footage of McEnroe on the court, giving interviews, and even poking fun at himself later in life with caricature-style appearances on shows like 30 Rock. Luckily, when it came time to shoot, I relied on the years of plays and theater training I had from working in Chicago and LA at companies like The Organic Theater Co. and Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum, where vocal projection and vivid expression make or break a show.
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Did knowing that John McEnroe will see the film impact your portrayal?
CW: Ha! I'm mean, I definitely thought about it once or twice. But like I said, he was such a character in the zeitgeist in the 80s and 90s that I had a lot to work with. I do hope he enjoyed it. I tried to be an accurate portrayal while still serving the script and plot.
There seems to be great chemistry with all of the cast. How was working with Will Smith and what was the vibe in-between takes?
CW: Working with Will Smith was one of the great thrills of my life. I had watched his work from a young age and seeing his process on set was incredibly inspiring. He brought an energy to the set that was undeniable. He would come back from a break and be clapping and hyping everybody up for the next set up. It was such a fun way to work.
Do you have a favorite scene from the movie?
CW: Any scene with Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney, the girls playing Serena and Venus, is amazing. They have so much talent and were always as jazzed to be there as Will! It was an honor to work with everyone on that set. And I'm so glad the entire film came out as well as it did.
What do you hope moviegoers take away from the film?
CW: It's such an incredible journey the girls take. I hope people are as inspired and motivated as I was, and I feel very fortunate to have been able to work on such an important film.
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We have to ask; do you play tennis?
CW: Ha! Alas, no. I played some when I was younger, but I never would have had the chops to pull off the skill required to play tennis like McEnroe. I had a great tennis double and also worked with the trainer on set a bit. My double and I would trade off while shooting, depending on how much tennis skill was necessary and when we were shooting the lines.
What inspires you the most creatively?
CW: I love inspiring stories. I love transformational stories. I came up doing Shakespeare and classic American theater, so I love getting to do that when I can, but when it comes to film and TV, there's such a wider audience that can be inspired and motivated. I feel very lucky to be a part of something like that.
Finally, is there anything else you’re working on that we can watch for?
CW: I recently appeared on the FX show Impeachment: American Crime Story as Richard Porter. He is also based on a real person, so that may be a trend. Oh! And keep an eye out for my character on the upcoming ABC series Promised Land. That's been a tremendous amount of fun to work on and I hope you guys enjoy it.
Keep up with Christopher Wallinger at: ChristopherWallinger.com
About the Creator
FierceScribe
I write about entertainment and the inspiring people who create it. Interviews with actors and filmmakers revealing their latest projects and what influences them creatively.
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