SZA purchased every seat at a theater in New Jersey for fans to go see The Woman King for free on Saturday. The new film starring Viola Davis and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood was released on September 16.
“PLEASE GO SEEE ITTTT !,” SZA said in a tweet.
The new historical epic follows a group of all-female warriors protecting the African kingdom of Dahomey. In addition to Davis, the cast is rounded out by John Boyega, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, and more.
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The movie kicked off as a box office success, debuting at number one and grossing $19 million domestically in its first week. Of the wide audience, Davis recently told Variety that the story is universally appealing.
“There was a sense that our stories aren’t universal and can’t reach the white man or woman or the Hispanic man or woman,” Davis told the outlet. “I feel human stories are for everyone, not just Black consumption.”
The story was met with backlash online following its release by critics who were upset with the historical inaccuracy of the plot, to which Davis told Variety, “If we just told a history lesson, which we very well could have, that would be a documentary.”
Check out SZA’s announcement below.
[Via]