The 94th Academy Awards just unveiled their nomination list, and Will Smith is on the race for an Oscar for the first time in 15 years. Smith is being nominated for the Best Actor trophy due to his work on King Richard, which tells the real story of Richard Williams and how the poor man did everything he could to turn his twin daughters Venus and Serena Williams into internationally recognized tennis legends.

The last two times Smith was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, the star played real-life people in emotionally charged biopics. In 2002, Smith was nominated for playing the role of box legend Muhammad Ali in the biopic Ali, but ended up losing to Denzel Washington for Training Day. Then, in 2007, Smith got another Best Actor nomination for The Pursuit of Happyness, where the star played Chris Gardner, a homeless salesman who tries to protect his son from the harsh life on the streets while struggling to get a job. Unfortunately, Smith lost to Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland that year.

While it is still too soon to know if Smith will finally take the golden statue back home this year, the star work on King Richard already ensured him several other awards and nominations. Smith won the Golden Globes for Best Actor, with pending nominations from SAG, BAFTA, and Critics’ Choice. However, even though Smith is one of the favorites to grab one of Hollywood’s most coveted prizes, the star will have to face some tough competition. Washington is again running against Smith in 2022 for his part in The Tragedy of Macbeth. The nominees for Best Actor also include Javier Bardem for Being the Ricardos, Benedict Cumberbatch for The Power of the Dog, and Andrew Garfield for Tick, Tick...Boom!.

ali-muhammad-ali-will-smith
Image via Sony

RELATED:‌ Jon Bernthal on ‘King Richard,’ the Incredible True Story, and Why He Decided to Star in the ‘American Gigolo’ Showtime Series

King Richard is based on the true story of the Williams sisters (played by Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney), who trained in abandoned tennis courts around Compton, California, while their father tried to grab the attention of professional tennis coaches. Richard Williams never doubted that his daughter would become two of the greatest tennis players on the planet, and King Richard retells the arduous path the family took until the talent of the Williams sisters was finally recognized.

King Richard also stars Jon Bernthal, Tony Goldwyn, Andy Bean, Kevin Dunn, and Craig Tate, with Reinaldo Marcus Green directing from a screenplay written by Zach Baylin. The Williams sisters produced the film alongside Smith, Tim White, Trevor White, Isha Price, James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith, Adam Merims, Lynn Harris, and Allan Mandelbaum with Jon Mone and Peter Dodd acting as executive producers.

King Richard got released today in 4K, DVD, and Blu-ray, with tons of extras that look behind the scenes of the biopic. So, it’s the perfect occasion to check out Smith’s breathtaking performance while we wait for the results of the 94th Oscars, on March 27.