Shirley Chisolm is one of America's unsung heroes, becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968. While blazing uncharted territory comes at a cost, Chisolm paved the way for many more women to become politically engaged, as is reflected in the Netflix biopic, Shirley, where Regina King masterfully delivers a performance of the late Chisolm. The film not only celebrates Chisholm's historic milestone but also underscores her influence on politics, particularly through the character of Barbara Lee, portrayed by Christina Jackson.
Jackson, recognized for her performances in television series like Boardwalk Empire (2013) and Swagger (2023), took on the task of portraying Barbara Lee in the biopic. The role of Lee, a pivotal figure in the film, demanded a nuanced portrayal that captured both the essence of her character and the complexities of her journey. Jackson approached this challenge with dedication, delving deep into Lee's background, motivations, and experiences to bring authenticity to her performance. Through meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to honoring Lee's legacy, Jackson breathed life into the character, imbuing her with depth, empathy, and resilience.
In Shirley, Lee is introduced as a young activist grappling with the challenges of finding her voice in a society rife with inequality and injustice. Her journey mirrors the struggles faced by countless women of color striving to make their mark in the political arena. Through Lee's narrative arc, the film captures the power of representation and the importance of mentorship in nurturing emerging leaders.
As Lee evolves from a determined activist to a formidable congresswoman, her trajectory is guided by the spirit of Chisholm. Chisholm's legacy serves as a beacon of hope, reminding us that progress is not achieved in isolation but through collective action and solidarity.
Shirley illuminates the untold stories of resilience and resistance that have shaped the fabric of American democracy. It is a testament to the legacy of the Chisolm and the countless unsung heroes whose courage continues to inspire us to strive for a more just and equitable society. Through their stories, we are reminded of the power of perseverance, the importance of representation, and the imperative of ensuring that every voice is heard in the halls of power.
We caught up with Jackson to discuss her role playing Lee, and what she gained from the experience.
ESSENCE: What drew you to the role of portraying a young Barbara Lee in Shirley, and what kind of preparation did you undertake to embody her character effectively?
Jackson: It was great because you're getting the introduction to the congresswoman through Barbara Lee that we know now, but she's just a young activist when we meet her in 1972. So, after finishing the script, that was a nice kind of gateway into doing the research and reading all of the things that she's done since 1972, which is a very long list of accomplishments and starting coalition's and starting so many things and sitting on boards and panels and just how outspoken she's been. And so it was watching the documentaries, it was watching interviews, it was reading other people's experiences with both Shirley and Barbara, and then, getting to work with the words that were on the page in the script.
Barbara Lee is a significant figure in American politics. How did you approach portraying her during her college years, and what aspects of her personality or experiences did you find most compelling to explore?
I think when we see her track record and how she stands up and how she has spoken – but also the honesty. There's a lot of honesty in a lot of moments where there have been things that she has just decided to be the voice for the people, and she takes that job very, very seriously. But also, I truly do believe that her meeting Shirley and seeing that same kind of vigor and honesty and speaking truth to power, it's something that verbally has carried on. When you meet her, she's pleasant, she's funny, super smart, and very accomplished. I was listening to a podcast recently about a revolution that happened in the Caribbean in the 70s. And of course Barbara Lee is at the end of it. She's talking about the help that that country needed and so she doesn't just stay in one area or one subject she is for the people truly.
Could you share any insights into the challenges or joys of portraying a real-life figure like Barbara Lee, especially during her formative college years?
I went into it with a little nervousness. I was playing somebody that was real. I was playing somebody that is very visible, that I believe is very powerful. And so you want to do a good job, and you're also working with Regina [King], and you're working with Lance [Reddick] and you're working with Andre and Terrence [Howard] and so it was coming from both ends, that I just really wanted to do a good job. But in talking to her, she was so happy and so gracious. So I just asked her, the stuff that isn't on the page you know, what actually, was it like meeting Shirley and what kept you on the campaign trail because she was a mom and a student already and so she truly — I don't want to say drop everything because you don't drop kids but she did make the decision that was very hard to go on this campaign trail truly because she wanted to help make change. And I think for as persuasive as Shirley was, it does also speak to the character of a young Barbara Lee, who just wanted to help who just wanted to find a way in and give what she could and so, I'm excited that I got the opportunity because you don't get these origin stories a lot of the time and I want to truly say Regina and John and everybody for the decision to add Barbara's story into the movie because, again, we don't get to see this often and you do see what she's accomplished in the last 50 years from that chance meeting with a Shirley Chisholm.
So what was it like for you to work alongside Regina for this film?
It was amazing. Everybody on this cast took this job because of Regina. Regina has been in the business for over 40 years. And it's not just the acting, but she also has a director's mind. And she's also done animation and she's kind of been in that fabric of American television and filmmaking with the characters that she's played. And so coming to work every day is a masterclass and to watch her in the moments where she disappears into Shirley. And, you know, she had every resource available to her she had the dialect coaches and you know, she had the history and, and she had John who she trusts a lot, but to watch her and to ask her questions and for her to, to answer it felt very parallel to a Shirley and a young Barbara, to be able to stands on the set and be able to have the Regina King as a scene partner and for her to trust me in those moments. It's been beautiful and gratitude doesn't even begin to cover.
Barbara Lee has been praised for her courage and leadership. In what ways do you think her portrayal in Shirley adds to our understanding of her journey and contributions to American politics?
When we meet her in the film, she's not even registered to vote, and it's Shirley that convinces her. When you look at how intense that campaign was in ‘72, I truly believe that it could have been enough to make somebody quit, and never want to deal with politics again. That's not what happened with Barbara. She kept going, she ends up getting Ron Dellums seat out there in Oakland and through the decades she has continuously been outspoken and she has continuously stood up. Even when she doesn't have the support, even when she's been treated like an outsider, even when she's been escorted out. That's something that you either believe in or you don't. You can tell that it's not a gimmick with her, you can tell that she truly does care. Even when you hear other people talk about her, not just you know other Black women in politics, but even white Republicans when you hear them talk about Barbara Lee, you know that it's not a game with her and that she will go toe-to-toe. For her to be doing this as long as she's been doing it, you can tell that she's going to keep going, and that's the part that makes me excited, especially when you talk about voting, registering, using your voice, education – she runs the gambit of it all.
The film delves into both Barbara Lee's and Shriley Chisolm’s early experiences with discrimination and prejudice. How did you approach portraying these challenging moments, and what do you think they reveal about her resilience and determination?
They're not difficult because we know that we're coming out of the 60s in the film. We're coming out of the Civil Rights Movement. We're coming out of segregation and Jim Crow not saying they don't still exist in the 70s, in the sense of the discrimination because we see it, but we know that experience, we know those stories, and so it wasn't difficult. It just was about a let's portray this the way that it was so that people can see and know that yes, even in ‘72 when this woman is running for president. There are a lot of people who don't want that to happen and so of course she faced opposition of course she faced racism, sexism, but also through the film, you see how smart Shirley is and how educated she is. You see her use her knowledge to talk about intersectionality and feminism back then. It was about equality, but it also was about the right. She had every right to be there. Barbara had every right to be there. So difficult? No. It's just very necessary.
Shirley offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by women of color in predominantly white spaces. Can you discuss the importance of representing these experiences authentically on screen, and what insights you gained from exploring this aspect of Barbara Lee's story?
We’re at a time where there are so many of the Black stories that are being told, and I try to be very clear that Black history is also American history. We can make a separation but that is what it is. It’s still very much American history. And so I think specifically when it comes to telling our stories, Shirley is so important, because not that many people know that she was the first Black Congresswoman and that she ran for president. That's a problem. It's that thing of information and knowledge, and sometimes we don't know what we don't know. So you know, in doing a film like this, and, I did Boardwalk Empire years ago, and that touched on the Black experience in the 1920s. And, I did another film where it was the 50s and there's always this importance of letting people know what it was that we’ve come through. Because when you have the tools to move forward, it makes it a little bit better when you have that knowledge. It's always going to be important to educate, it's always going to be important to educate accurately to tell these stories the correct way. Because you don't want somebody to take the misinformation and run. So, in my industry looking forward, I would love more of these stories. I would love more accurate portrayals and not just for an agenda. Just give the story and let people take in and absorb what they will.
What was maybe a personal takeaway or poignant moment while filming the movie or during the movie that you felt was really important?
I would say it's when Shirley concedes and everybody is in the room surrounding her. She's saying, ‘I dragged you kids all the way to Florida’ and Barb says ‘out of all of the reasons to come here for this convention, we came for the best one. We came for you.’ I believed those lines in that moment, and I'm very glad that I got to deliver them because that is kind of this culmination of, you are watching Shirley's entire team, push forward and even in the times where she's wondering why she's not getting the support, when she has supported everybody else. Everybody around her truly believes in her. She might not have made it all the way to the presidency, but she got far enough to change some lives. If Shirley can do this, so can I. That was probably the scene that I carry with me the most, because it also it's just a reinforcement of, when you believe in something enough and you go after it, your voice matters. Your presence matters. Your mind matters, your compassion matters. And I feel like in a time like today, we sometimes feel the opposite. We feel like our voice doesn't matter. We're not being heard or we're not being seen. We have to find our ways to not let that affect us. Because while we're here, we have the responsibility to contribute to society and contribute to the world and I feel like we can do that in these very beautiful ways when we remember that we matter.
So what do you want the viewers to take away from watching Shirley?
They'll be educated. I think a lot of people in a very real and honest way, we're not always very sure about how certain processes of politics work. I think that this film, just covering simply the campaign, it'll give people a lot of insight on what it takes and delegates and why we campaign in certain places and what message matters. But also I want people to take that information, and to delve into it, just expand on it. Listen to what your local politicians are saying, register to vote, vote on a very local level. If you have kids, know what the school board is saying. There's that thing that people just feel like, oh, everything's already been decided and it doesn't really matter. It does matter. And we've shown that in the past couple of elections on either side, it shows that your voice matters, and you have to do what it takes to make sure that your needs are being met in this country because that's the responsibility that we have here.
Additional details on the announced partnerships and initiatives that continue to honor Chisholm will be announced on Participant and Netflix’s impact website www.shirley1972.com.