Regina King: Watchmen Star's Best Movie and TV Roles

And while we all know that King is talented, you might not realize just how many movies and TV shows she's been in. And in case you haven't seen the jaw-dropping role that won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2019, we've got a little bit of a refresher for you.

Here's a list of Regina King's best movie and TV shows.

Regina King's Movie Roles

Boyz n the Hood

King's first movie role was in the award-winning debut film from director John Singleton . Boyz n the Hood was nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director at the 1992 Oscars, and in 2002, the Library of Congress called the film "culturally, historically, and/or aesthetically significant." The movie is now preserved in the National Film Registry .

Poetic Justice

King reunited with Singleton for 1993's Poetic Justice. The film also starred Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, and Joe Torry, and as Revolt TV explains, the movie helped to "solidify her [King] as a viable supporting actress and stands as one of the breakout roles of her career.

Jerry Maguire

King played Marcee Tidwell, the wife of Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character Rod Tidwell. Jerry Maguire went on to have the fourth-highest domestic box office total of 1996, and the film was also nominated for five Academy Awards, with Gooding Jr. winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

If Beale Street Could Talk

Barry Jenkins' adaption of the famous James Baldwin novel of the same name wowed critics and fans alike, and the movie was nominated for 3 Golden Globe Awards, 3 Academy Awards, and 5 Critics' Choice Awards. King went on to win her first Oscar, for Best Supporting Actress.

Regina King's TV Roles

227

King's first TV role came when she was just 14 years old. She played Brenda, daughter of Mary and Lester Jenkins. "227 was priceless for me. It was my foundation. I would not be here without it. Just being with Marla Gibbs, Hal Williams, Alaina Reed, Jackeeit was school," King told The Seattle Times

The Boondocks

While you may have thought that the voice behind Huey and Riley Freeman was that of a man, King is actually the one that brought the two brothers to life. King was originally cast to voice just Riley , but series creator Aaron McGruder was so awed by her that he asked her to voice Huey too. And while a Boondocks reboot was recently announced, it's still unknown if King will reprise her roles.

The Leftovers

The series was based on Tom Perrotta's novel of the same name, but after the first season ate up the plot of the book, the show got really weird, really creative, and most importantly, really good. It followed the lives of the Garvey and Murphy families after the "Sudden Departure," in which 140 million people disappeared off the face of the Earth. King entered the show in Season 2, playing Erika Murphynew neighbor to the Garveys, and doctor who runs an urgent-care facility. The series was also notable because it was the first time King worked with Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof.

Southland

The show followed the work and personal lives of Los Angeles police officers, and King played Detective Lydia Adams. Southland originally aired on NBC, but after the network canceled the show after just one season, it was picked up by TNT.

In 2010, King told AJC about the show's grueling filming schedule. "Some episodes weve had 100 locations. Wed do seven in one day. Wed just jump out of a van and be in and out in 45 minutes. Its guerrilla filming," she explained.

American Crime

The anthology series ran from 2015-2017, and it followed a new storyline and characters each season, so King got the chance to play three different characters. King's work in the show would go on to land her the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie two years in a row.

Seven Seconds

King's portrayal of the grieving mother of a teen killed by a police officer earned her another Emmy award in 2018. However, Netflix had canceled the show months prior, leading fans to call for the renewal of the show.