Watchmen Star Regina King Speaks Out About the Show's Prophetic Message in 2020
Watchmen star Regina King spoke out about the show’s prophetic message in 2020. Earlier in the [...]
Watchmen star Regina King spoke out about the show's prophetic message in 2020. Earlier in the quarantine period, amid civil unrest and protests against racism in America, a lot of viewers were noting some similarities to Damon Lindelof's television series. Well, the star of the show sat down with Deadline to talk about all those comments and much more during a recent panel. It may be true that there is some visual overlap with the masks and the racial tensions, but it is important to remember that Watchmen debuted last year, and a lot of people coming into it this summer were viewing it through the lens of the present. Well, intentional or not, it seems the HBO show will be ringing in people's minds for a long time when it comes to issues of race.
"You have people who are watching it for the first time during the pandemic, after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and being more aware of the history of police brutality, violence against Black Americans, and so they are receiving it through a different lens," King observed. "Their wow is, 'I can't believe this show is right on time' … it's kind of like an anthropology study in many ways."
Her co-star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has also been on record with comments about how prescient the series seems in 2020. He told GQ Middle about how the series is sparking conversation now.
"To watch people watch Watchmen and then have new, more sophisticated conversations about the importance of telling the history of the Tulsa massacre -- calling it a massacre not a race riot -- fills me with pride," Abdul-Mateen II began. "And with what's happened to George Floyd, there's a domino effect: now, we don't have the excuse to ignore that part of history or say we weren't educated."
"Some people turn the channel saying they're not watching our f---ing show," he shared. "I may not have access to the demographic who choose to see something like our version of Watchmen and unfollow me on Instagram because they don't share my beliefs. They'll see the message from me, they'll see my work, and they'll actively reject it as leftist propaganda. This is America, so they have zero reason to listen to me. But I can talk to my white friends and wider audiences who are enlightened and inspired to then go have uncomfortable conversations with relatives and co-workers. So, I'm fortunate to be a part of that progress."
Have you rewatched Watchmen this summer? Let us know down in the comments!
