Tiffany Haddish is set to star as the fastest woman in the world, Olympic runner Florence Griffith Joyner in a biopic about her life.
Known as Flo-Jo, Joyner took the sports world by storm in the 1980s and helped bring women track and field to the forefront with her record-breaking Olympic run. With her record-setting sprints in the 100m and 200m races at the 1988 Olympics, she became the fastest woman in the world as well as the most stylish. Not one to sacrifice fashion for history, she was known to don long nails and originated the “one-legger” look with her running suits.
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Joyner retired from sports a year after her wins. Joyner died in 1998 at the age of 38 from an epileptic seizure. And today a few of her records she set at that Olympics, including those in the 100 m and 200 m, have yet to be broken.
The film “will chronicle the remarkable life and untimely death of the global track and field superstar, not only showcasing Flo-Jo’s dominant and historic Olympic performances, but also her enduring impact on the entire world of sports and in the communities that needed her help and inspiration the most.”
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Haddish, who teamed up with content studio Game1, will produce the film, as well.
“I am looking forward to telling Flo-Jo’s story the way it should be told,” said Haddish. “My goal with this film is making sure that younger generations know my ‘she-ro’ Flo-Jo, the fastest woman in the world to this day, existed.”
Game1 Co-CEO’s Basil Iwanyk and Greg Economou will also serve as producers on this film.
“We are thrilled to partner with Tiffany on such an important project,” said Iwanyk. “Tiffany has established herself as one of the greatest entertainers in the world today – helping her tell the story of her idol Flo-Jo is an amazing honor and privilege.”
Haddish who said Joyner was one of her heroes growing up has already begun training for the role under the tutelage of Joyner’s widower and former coach, Al Joyner.
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Al Joyner, who is serving as a producer and creative consultant on the project also expressed he was “elated to team up with game1 and Tiffany Haddish on this project.
Working with Tiffany has been a great pleasure – she is incredibly dedicated, focused, and committed to portraying the spirit of Florence accurately, whose legacy of making a difference in the world will live on for generations to come. I hope that this film touches all who see it and inspires people to BE the change the world so desperately needs right now!”
Melanie Clark of She Ready Productions will also serve as a producer, while Jonathan Fuhrman of Thunder Road Pictures will serve as an executive producer. Therese Andrews, EVP of Production at game1, is spearheading the entire project.
A search for a writer for the biopic is already underway. And the producers are in talks with brand and distribution partners for the documentary and podcast.