Netflix has shared the official trailer and key art for Simone Biles Rising, a four-part documentary series that will debut on the streaming service on July 17, 2024. The trailer features an excerpt from Dr. Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise, narrated by Viola Davis.
Simone Biles has unfinished business. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she was one of the biggest stories leading into the Games. But in sports, as in life, competitions do not always go as planned.
And for Simone, the world had a front-row seat as her private struggle with mental health exploded on the international stage – forcing her to withdraw from the competition.
Since then, Simone has put in the hard work: facing the difficult traumas of her past, learning to manage her mental health, embracing her journey, and, in the process, rebuilding her gymnastics from the ground up.
Her courage to soar knows no bounds. This summer, she plans to return to the Olympic stage again to do what she’s always done—be the best Simone can be. Because through it all, Simone still rises.
“We are all the authors of our own journeys, and I am in a place in my life where I’m comfortable with who I am and what I’ve been through as an athlete, but most of all, as a person,” said Simone Biles. “Gymnastics is what I do but it’s not who I am, and I’m excited for people to see another side of me outside of competition.”
She continued: “I know there are young girls out there who look to me for inspiration and are faced with similar challenges, and my hope is that this documentary helps to empower them to be true to who they are and never give up on their dreams. ‘Still I Rise.’
Director Katie Walsh added: “Simone is a once-in-a-generation athlete who has not only pushed the boundaries of gymnastics but also redefined the meaning of success by putting her mental health above medals and titles. While her athletic abilities are unmatched, it’s the human component to her story that I’m proud to share alongside the remarkable team at Religion of Sports.”
“Simone Biles has won the hearts of fans across the world through her unparalleled excellence as a gymnast, bravery in the face of public mental health struggles, and relentless determination,” said Gotham Chopra, co-founder and executive producer at production company Religion of Sports. “This lovingly crafted series will not only inspire but also amplify necessary conversations around the challenges athletes face with mental health.”
The executive producers include Ameeth Sankaran, Giselle Parets, Janey Miller, JT Taylor, and Yiannis Exarchos. Each episode of the Netflix series is about 45 minutes long.
Part 1 (two episodes) of Simone Biles Rising debuts on July 17 and Part 2 (two episodes) will premiere in Fall 2024.
Watch the trailer here and scroll down to view the key art.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.