Gabby Douglas Film in the Works

Gabby Douglas Film in the Works

Sep 16, 2013 by Ashley Allen
Gabby Douglas Film in the Works
Sony Pictures Television is set to produce a Lifetime Original Movie, The Gabby Douglas Story. Gabby Douglas is the reigning All Around Olympic Champion and was a member of the Fierce Five USA Gymnastics Team who won team gold at the 2012 Olympics.



The movie will be filmed in Manitoba, Canada and is anticipated to release in 2014. Actors have already been chosen to portray Gabby in her childhood as well as teenage years, and Gabby herself will make an appearance in the movie. Gabby's mother, grandmother, and coach, Liang Chow, will also be portrayed in the film. According to the press release, "the movie details the inspiring true story of the international gymanstics phenomenon, who overcame overwhelming odds to become the first African American ever to be named Individual All Around Champion in artistic gymnastics at the Olympics." 

This press release follows Gabby's recent announcement that she has moved from Iowa, where she trained prior to the Olympics under Coach Chow, to Los Angelos to be with her family. 


See the full press release below:


LOS ANGELES, CA (September 16, 2013) – Imani Hakim (Everybody Hates Chris, Love Reign Over Me) and Sydney Mikayla (Whitney) have been cast to share the role of two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas in the Lifetime Original Movie The Gabby Douglas Story (working title).  Produced by Sony Pictures Television, the movie details the inspiring true story of the international gymnastics phenomenon, who overcame overwhelming odds to become the first African American ever to be named Individual All-round Champion in artistic gymnastics at the Olympics.  Mikayla will portray Douglas during her childhood while Hakim will play the gold medalist as a teenager and young adult.  The real-life Gabby Douglas will appear in the film, which also stars Peabody Award-winning actress Regina King (Southland, Ray) and Golden Globe® and Emmy®-winner S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order).  The Gabby Douglas Story will film in Manitoba, Canada, and debut in 2014.

A prodigy from a very young age, Gabby Douglas originally made her mark on the world of competitive gymnastics at age eight.  She won numerous state championship titles in her age group throughout her early competitive career.  While her star was fast rising In The Arena, Gabby and her family faced economic challenges at home and she made the difficult decision to leave her mother Natalie (King), three siblings and grandmother (Merkerson) in Virginia Beach and move to Des Moines, Iowa, to train with renowned coach Liang Chow (Brian Tee, The Wolvernine) to pursue her dream of Olympic glory.  Buoyed by her early success, dedication and unyielding love from her family, Gabby made it onto the 2012 U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team, with whom she faced intense competition in the London Games.  Her sacrifice and perseverance were triumphantly rewarded with Team Competition and Individual All-round gold medals, placing Gabby and her teammates – known as “The Fierce Five” -- among the world’s all-time greats in gymnastics.

The Gabby Douglas Story will be produced by Sony Pictures Television.  Zev Braun and Philip Krupp (Lifetime’s A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story) will serve as executive producers, with David Rosemont (Lifetime’s Bonnie & Clyde) producing.  Gregg Champion (The Cowboy Way, Lifetime’s Amish Grace) will direct from a script written by Maria Nation (Lifetime’s The Two Mr. Kissels).

See also:
Videos of Gabby Douglas
B
eyond the Routine series with Gabby Douglas and Coach Chow