Director Gina-Prince Bythewood is known for her films featuring strong female characters making difficult choices. Her films include “Love and Basketball,” “The Secret Life of Bees,” and “Beyond The Lights.” Her newest film, “The Woman King,” stars Viola Davis and is an historically based epic about the West African Kingdom of Dahomey and its female warriors. Prince-Bythewood tells The Treatment that she believes her previous films all contributed to her readiness to direct “King.” She says some actors may or may not have been invoking some of her physicality into their performances. And she says that breaking her own rule of “no crying in directing” actually helped the production.
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood on breaking her own rule directing “The Woman King”
Gina Prince-Bythewood. Photo courtesy of MRC
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