“The Woman King“ Director Gina Prince-Bythewood on the Importance of Speaking Up | How She Did It

“The Woman King“ director Gina Prince-Bythewood traced her career and shared the importance of learning to speak up in TheWrap’s How She Did It, presented by Johnnie Walker #thewomanking Her first job as a director came on CBS’ “Schoolbreak Special,” a job she landed by throwing her hat into the ring. “At that point I wanted to be a director but I was only able to get writing gigs,” Prince-Bythewood told TheWrap. “I remember sitting in the room and the producers were talking about directors. In my head I’m screaming, ‘Throwing your name out! Just throw your name out!’ The meeting is over. I was about to get up, and I just said, ‘I think I’m the best director for this.’ The producer was quiet for a second. He looked at me and said, ‘I think you’re right.’ To this day, if I hadn’t opened my mouth, where would I be?” Prince-Bythewood’s first film, “Love & Basketball,” was turned down by every single production company (“That was devastating”) and most recently her hit histori