The real Lena Derriecott's reaction to Netflix's WWII movie, revealed by Tyler Perry

The six triple eight director Tyler Perry reveals Lena Derriecott King's true reaction to seeing the film. King was one of 855 women in the 6888th battalionan all-black, all-female military unit that served overseas during World War II. The 6,888th battalion sorted 17 million pieces of mail that had been overdue for years in less than 90 days. During The Six Triple Eight in the end, the real King appears through images filmed when she was 99 years old. She passed away in January 2024 at the age of 100.

When speaking with Today, Perry explained that she showed King a rough copy of the film before she passed away and that she "I loved." He was struck by the vivid memory of his experiences during World War II. Perry described how deeply moved she was to see her story, and the stories of her peers, finally being told. In addition to giving King an advance screening, Perry showed the film to the children of Major Charity Adams (Kerry Washington) at the Military Women's Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, ahead of its Netflix debut. Check out Perry's comments below:

99 and sharp as a tack. She told me these incredible stories. Her recall and memory were so good that when I had it examined by a historian, he was amazed that she could remember all this.

She was saluting the screen. She was laughing. But in the end, it was so powerful. She was crying. She just said, “Thank you so much for letting the world know we contributed.”

When I found out that her health was deteriorating, I hurriedly cut her. She cried while watching. Each image took her back. She said how inspired [and] grateful that she was able to let the world know that black women contributed.

It was so exciting to share this with [Adams' children]. I'm really glad they were proud.

What does this mean for the six triple eight

The film does justice to the real story

The six triple eightThe story of the 6888th Battalion is even more powerful when one hears of the proud and emotional reactions it elicited from the individuals and families of the members of the 6888th Battalion. It is important not only for there to be more awareness of the accomplishments of the 6888th battalion, but also to know the courageous individuals behind these achievements. King and Adams' children's reactions speak for themselves of the film's ability to tell these stories.

When a movie is based on a true story, it's always intriguing to see what the real individuals look like and, even better, hear from them. The six triple eight has the privilege of doing this with the real King, which is even more rewarding knowing what the film meant to her. Ebony Obsidian, who plays Lena, Washington and the entire cast of The six triple eight they should be proud of what they accomplished. Perry deserves credit for making the film a reality and ensuring King had the opportunity to see it before she passed away.

Lena Derriecott King continued to defy the odds

One of the best parts of Perry's comments is how impressed he and the historian were with King's remembrance and the stories she told about his life during World War II. Even in his later years, King continued to impress those who underestimated her. The pride, joy and sadness she felt while watching The six triple eight adds even more weight to the film and his appearance during the finale, and it's encouraging to know that his story will live on.

Source: Today