The Six Triple Eightdirector Tyler Perry reveals the real Lena Derriecott King’s reaction to seeing the movie.King was one of the 855 women in the 6888th battalion, an all-Black and all-female military unit that served overseas during World War II. The 6888th battalion sorted through 17 million pieces of mail that had been backlogged for years in less than 90 days. DuringThe Six Triple Eight’sending, the real King appears via footage filmed when she was 99 years old. She passed away in January 2024 at the age of 100.
While speaking withToday,Perry explained that he showed King a rough copy of the movie before she passed away and that she"loved it.“He was impressed by her vivid recall of her experiences during World War II. Perry described how deeply moved she was to see her story, and the story of her peers, finally being told. In addition to giving King an early screening, Perry showed the movie to the children of Major Charity Adams (Kerry Washington) at the Military Women’s Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, prior to the Netflix debut. Check out Perry’s comments below:
99 and sharp as a tack. She told me these incredible stories. Her recall and memory was so great that when I ran it by a historian, he was blown away that she could recall that much.
She was saluting the screen. She was laughing. But at the end of it, it was so powerful. She was in tears. She just said, “Thank you so much for letting the world know that we contributed.”
When I found out her health was failing, I got a rushed cut to her. She cried as she watched it. Every image took her back. She said how inspired [and] thankful she was that I was able to let the world know that Black women contributed.
It was so exciting to share it with [Adams' children]. I’m just happy that they were proud.
What This Means For The Six Triple Eight
The Movie Does The Real Story Justice
The Six Triple Eight’s storyis even more powerful when hearing of the proud and emotional reactions it elicited from the individuals and families of the 6888th battalion’s members. It is important not only for there to be more awareness of the 6888th battalion’s accomplishments, but to know about the courageous individuals behind those achievements.The reactions from King and from Adams' children speak volumesof the movie’s ability to tell those stories.
The Six Triple Eight: How They Sorted And Sent Millions Of Letters
The women of The Six Triple Eight sorted through 17 million letters, getting creative to tackle this near impossible job.
When a movie is based on a true story, it is always intriguing to see what the real individuals look like, and even better to hear from them.The Six Triple Eighthas the privilege of doing this with the real King, which is made even more gratifying knowing what the movie meant to her. Ebony Obsidian, who plays Lena, Washington, and the entirecast ofThe Six Triple Eightshould be proud of what they accomplished.Perry deserves credit for making the movie a reality and ensuring King had the opportunity to see itbefore she passed away.
Our Take On Tyler Perry’s Comments
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 by King’s recall and the stories she told about her life during World War II. Even in her final years,King continued to impress those who underestimated her. The pride, joy, and sadness she experienced while watchingThe Six Triple Eightadds even more weight to the movie and to her appearance during the ending, and it is heartening to know that her story will continue to live on.
The Six Triple Eight
Cast
The Six Triple Eight is a World War II drama about the US Army’s all-Black, all-women battalion tasked with sorting a massive backlog of 17 million undelivered letters to American soldiers. They must complete the mission within six months, showcasing their resilience and crucial contributions during the war.
