Gabrielle Douglas Brings Inspirational Biopic to Lifetime
Gabrielle Douglas,18, made headlines two years ago when she won two gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics, but now she is letting people see her struggles and accomplishments firsthand in Lifetime original movie, The Gabrielle Douglas Story.
Douglas made history at the Olympics when she became the first African-American All-Around Olympic Gold Medalist, and the first female to win both all-around and team gold medals at the same Olympics. However, the renowned gymnast almost never made it to the global sports festival that made her a household name.
Now fans will see her family's economic hardships and struggles on the path to Olympic gold in the inspirational biopic, starring Regina King as Douglas' mother and Imani Hakim as the star gymnast.
Although Douglas previously wrote two inspirational books about her life, she told Teen Vogue about why she decided to showcase her life in film.
"The movie is about the struggles and challenges I went through. I've already written a book about it, but reading it isn't the same as seeing it," Douglas told the publication. "I want people to watch this and say, 'Wow. She went through that, so whatever I'm going through, I can overcome it too.'"
Douglas has repeatedly insisted that it is the hardships she has faced in her life that have defined her and now fans can watch her movie to see firsthand how that happened.
"I think (those experiences) helped me become a stronger and more mature person and that was my motivation. I remember my mom telling me that we were homeless," Douglas previously revealed to The Christian Post. "Stories about that, that was my motivation…People are out there going through tough times. I went through hardships like a blood disease, homelessness, moved to Iowa, injuries and I had to overcome all of those things to get to where I am today."
Fans can witness Douglas' extraordinary training, family dynamic, perseverance and sacrifices in her inspirational Lifetime movie on Feb 1 at 8 p.m. For repeat screenings, check local listings.
