Passes the Bechdel test

The Woman King

Name: The Woman King
Released: 2022

2022. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, written by Dana Stevens and Maria Bello.

The Bechdel test

Bechdel score

3 / 3

Passes

Yes 1. At least two women
17 women characters. 12 of them speak.
Yes 2. Who talk to each other
In 12 scenes out of 126.
Yes 3. About something besides a man
In those scenes, our script parser found no man named. See the scene.

Second opinion

Agree bechdeltest.com readers give it 3 out of 3.

The film

The Woman King is the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, The Woman King follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Oscar®-winner Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Some things are worth fighting for.

Released: 16 Sep 2022
Genres: Action, Drama, History
Rated: PG-13
IMDb: 6.9 / 10
Metascore: 76 / 100
Awards: Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards. 30 wins & 127 nominations total
Elsewhere: View on IMDb

Starring, by lines spoken

Women
Men
Not in the cast list
Bigger name, more lines

Nanisca 146 lines, woman
Nawi 125 lines, woman
Izogie 76 lines, woman
Ghezo 60 lines, man
Malik 50 lines, man
Amenza 40 lines, woman
Oba 27 lines, man
Ferreira 22 lines, man
Fumbe 16 lines, woman
Shante 15 lines, woman

Full cast, 44 people

Viola Davis as Nanisca
Thuso Mbedu as Nawi
Lashana Lynch as Izogie
Sheila Atim as Amenza
John Boyega as King Ghezo
Jordan Bolger as Malik
Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Santo Ferreira
Jimmy Odukoya as Oba Ade
Masali Baduza as Fumbe
Jayme Lawson as Shante
Adrienne Warren as Ode
Chioma Antoinette Umeala as Tara
Siyamthanda Makakane as Cindra
Shaina West as Esi
Sivuyile Ngesi as The Migan
Riaan Visman as Tanonu
Seputla Sebogodi as The Meu
Angélique Kidjo as The Meunon
Wanda Banda as Young Nanisca
Lethabo as Young Amenza
Kekole Mathabathe as Ajahe
Daniel Hadebe as Oyo Secretary
Kgomotso Moshia as Dayo
Zozibini Tunzi as Efe
Makgotso M as Iniya
Thando Dlomo as Kelu
Zeaf Ejama as Fumbe's Mother
Julius Tennon as Moru
Pumla Ndlazi as Ydande
Bonko Khoza as Boma
Sne Mbatha as Okankan
Boitumelo Makgalemele as Lida
Bongo Mbutuma as Oyo Soldier
Kwanda Tim Dlamini as Bothi
Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as Master Abade
Didi Ledwaba as Teenage Girl
Chumani Pan as Abomey Father
Cebelihle Mbambo as Curious Abomey Child
Chris Ncekana as Dahomey Warrior
Tuks Tad Lungu as Village Leader
Yannick Brand as African Kruman
Nancy Sekhokoane as Shopkeeper
Joel Mukadi as Young Oba
Princess Elmore as Villager (uncredited)

Who talks, scene by scene

Lines of dialogue in every 3 scenes, start to finish. Women above the line, men below. 3% of lines come from characters we couldn't match to the cast list and aren't shown.

Women

Men

Scene 1 Scene 126

Hover, tap or tab to a bar to see those scenes: where they happen and who's talking.

Show the numbers

Scenes	Women's lines	Men's lines
1 to 3	2	0
4 to 6	10	2
7 to 9	1	0
10 to 12	12	1
13 to 15	10	7
16 to 18	14	0
19 to 21	22	19
22 to 24	27	4
25 to 27	17	0
28 to 30	21	0
31 to 33	3	0
34 to 36	0	0
37 to 39	4	0
40 to 42	27	0
43 to 45	33	0
46 to 48	11	23
49 to 51	3	6
52 to 54	17	5
55 to 57	6	5
58 to 60	8	3
61 to 63	9	12
64 to 66	5	16
67 to 69	33	20
70 to 72	23	1
73 to 75	28	11
76 to 78	0	0
79 to 81	5	3
82 to 84	2	0
85 to 87	3	2
88 to 90	0	1
91 to 93	3	2
94 to 96	11	1
97 to 99	12	5
100 to 102	14	10
103 to 105	5	0
106 to 108	13	6
109 to 111	6	8
112 to 114	4	8
115 to 117	2	4
118 to 120	3	2
121 to 123	3	8
124 to 126	9	0

The evidence

Straight from the script
Counted from the script and the credits

Tap an exhibit to open it.

Exhibit A: the passing scenes

The scene our parser counted as passing, word for word.

SHOPKEEPER: Nawi, tell your mother to see me for the dress! NAWI: What dress? SHOPKEEPER: Your wedding dress! I will make you beautiful. Tell her! DAYO: They have made you another match?

NAWI: What’s your name? FUMBE: Fumbe. NAWI: Why do you cry? FUMBE: I am not a soldier.

NAWI: Show me how to tie the rope. FUMBE: Never. It is the only thing I can do better than you.

TARA: You are a Mahi prisoner, and that is all you will ever be. AMENZA: What did you say? TARA: She should be my slave, not a warrior.

NAWI: Where are you going? ODE: You are trouble, and I already have enough of that. IZOGIE: Eat up, Tse-tse. Nanisca favors the strong. IZOGIE: What is the first rule of training?

Exhibit B: every 100 lines

Out of every 100 lines with a known speaker, 69 are women's.

441 lines from women, 195 from men.

Women
Men

Exhibit C: who's in it

17 women and 12 men in the cast. 12 women and 14 men from it get lines.

Characters

With lines

Women
Men

Exhibit D: who gets heard

A woman speaks the first line. The longest stretch with no woman speaking runs 14 lines.

Every line of dialogue, first to last

First line by a woman
Longest stretch with no woman speaking

Words spoken

Women speak 66% of the words (4,513), men 34% (2,326). Women have 69% of the lines, so their lines run shorter than men's.

Exhibit E: the test the other way

Two named men talk to each other about something besides a woman. It passes the reverse test.

Conversations between two named characters

Two women

Two men

Exhibit F: behind the camera

10 of the 13 people in these jobs are women. Across the whole crew, 57% of the people whose gender is listed are women.

Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood (woman)
Written by: Dana Stevens (woman)
Story by: Maria Bello (woman), Dana Stevens (woman)
Produced by: Maria Bello (woman), Cathy Schulman (woman), Julius Tennon (man), Viola Davis (woman)
Shot by: Polly Morgan (woman)
Edited by: Terilyn A. Shropshire (woman)
Music by: Terence Blanchard (man)
Production design by: Akin McKenzie (gender not listed)
Costumes by: Gersha Phillips (woman)