Netflix has revealed a first look at Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist, which reveals the story behind football star Manti Te’o and his online connection. You can watch the trailer using the player below.
Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist is one of four stories told four stories told across five films of Untold Volume 2, which will debut on August 16, 2022.
The critically acclaimed series returns with Untold Volume 2, a four-week docuseries event that once again brings fresh eyes to epic tales from the wide world of sports. From football to basketball and streetball to sailing, these stories aren’t the ones you’ve heard before, even if you think you have.
Premiering weekly, each film kicks off at a pivotal moment and then delves deep into what happened beyond the headlines, as told by those who lived it, to reveal the grit, resilience, heartbreak, triumph, violence, comedy, and pathos beneath the sweat.
Untold Volume 2 is a Propagate, Stardust Frames, and The Players’ Tribune production. It is directed by Chapman Way, Maclain Way, Ryan Duffy, Tony Vainuku, Kevin Wilson Jr., and David Terry Fine.
The executive producers are Chapman Way and Maclain Way; Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, and Isabel San Vargas for Propagate; and Ryan Duffy, Miguel Tamayo, Jaymee Messler, and Chrissy Teigen.
“Our goal with Untold has always been to take these moments in sports history — whether infamous, like the Tim Donaghy betting scandal, or lesser-known, like the history of AND1 — and give viewers an unfiltered, inside-access look at what really happened, told by the people who lived it,” said Chapman Way and Maclain Way.
“With each story, we’re continually surprised by our subjects – at how vulnerable they are willing to be, but also how relatable their experiences and journeys are on a deep, human level.”
They added: “Our Volume 2 premiere is The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist, which explores the story behind college football star Manti Te’o’s headline-grabbing online relationship. It was impossible to miss this story when it first broke in 2012, but as viewers will see in the documentary, what really transpired is so much more complex and nuanced than we understood at the time.
“We’re incredibly grateful to both Manti Te’o and Ronaiah ‘Naya’ Tuiasosopo for sharing their truths with us.”
UNTOLD VOLUME 2
UNTOLD: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist (2 Parts)
Directed by Ryan Duffy & Tony Vainuku
Premieres Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Born into a Hawaiian paradise, All-American football standout Manti Te’o leads a simple life summed up in just three words: faith, family, and football. College football’s golden boy could do no wrong, but when tragedy strikes, the increased scrutiny of his online relationship causes a media maelstrom that threatens his future and legacy.
Featuring in-depth interviews with Manti Te’o (he/him/his) and the person behind the online identity, Ronaiah ‘Naya’ Tuiasosopo (she/her/hers).
UNTOLD: The Rise and Fall of AND1
Directed by Kevin Wilson Jr.
Premieres Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Born out of the playgrounds of New York City, the “And 1 Mixtape Tour” took streetball to the masses, challenging convention and picking up a team of basketball misfits along the way. “The Rise and Fall of AND1” traces the journey of three young friends with a dream of bringing greater acclaim to the game they loved, connecting with the underground art form of streetball and ending up flipping the billion-dollar basketball industry on its head.
AND1 co-founders, along with streetball legends The Professor, Hot Sauce, Skip 2 My Lou, The Main Event, Shane the Dribbling Machine, and more, reflect on their experience and the brand’s journey.
UNTOLD: Operation Flagrant Foul
Directed by David Terry Fine
Premieres Tuesday, August 30, 2022
In the summer of 2007, news broke that an NBA referee was being investigated for gambling on his own games, igniting a media storm and sending the NBA, FBI, and sports fans into crisis. That referee was Tim Donaghy, and the story didn’t just start and end with him but wound its way from the small-town bookies of the Philadelphia suburbs to lining the pockets of the notorious New York crime families and worldwide sports gambling underworld.
For the first time, all three co-conspirators discuss their involvement, and, unsurprisingly, their stories don’t all line up. Featuring revealing sit-down interviews with Tim Donaghy, Tommy Martino, Jimmy “The Sheep” Battista plus FBI agent Phil Scala, Donaghy’s lawyer John Lauro, Donaghy’s ex-wife Kim Strupp Donaghy, and more.
UNTOLD: Race of the Century
Directed by Chapman Way and Maclain Way
Premieres Tuesday, September 6, 2022
A chronicle of the thrilling 1983 America’s Cup, “Race of the Century” is a classic underdog story. It tells the tale of the scrappy group of Australians who band together to dethrone the New York Yacht Club and break the longest-running win streak in history — 132 years! — in the most prestigious sailing competition in the world.
Key members of the 1983 U.S. and Australian crews sit down for interviews, sharing their experience of this ultimate race to victory.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to cover the latest streaming, movie, TV, and game news.