If you’ve yet to catch Maria Bello in “Beef,” you should, as it ranks among the best-reviewed series on Netflix and fronts arguably one of the best performances of the actor’s lauded career. And at least for the time being, it’s the only acting role Bello has claimed since saying her fond farewell to Jack Sloane.
However, she’s still been hard at work in Hollywood. In fact, since 2010 Bello has regularly been backing indie-minded projects as a producer, working on films like 2017’s “In Search of Fellini,” and 2018’s “Giant Little Ones.” In 2022, Bello’s reputation as a producer got a major bump when she backed the action-packed historical epic “The Woman King.” Bello herself reportedly first conceived of the film — which tells of an elite, all-woman group of warriors defending a West African kingdom between the 17th and 19th centuries — after a visit to the lands said kingdom once occupied. She developed the story alongside screenwriter Dana Stevens, who penned the screenplay.
Directed by “The Old Guard” helmer Gina Prince-Bythewood, and featuring a fearsome performance from the great Viola Davis, “The Woman King” went on to earn raves from critics and audiences alike. It also netted almost $100 million at the worldwide box office and earned BAFTA nominations for both Davis and Prince-Bythewood. Though Bello has yet to line up her next behind-the-camera gig, fans are sure to be anxious to see how she follows the overwhelming success of “The Woman King.”
