7 days ago
‘We don't half-ass anything': Simone Biles reflects on her Netflix docuseries and hints at 2028 Olympics
"We don't half-ass anything. We want it to be great." That's how Olympic champion Simone Biles describes the effort behind her acclaimed Netflix series Simone Biles Rising.
Directed by Katie Walsh, the docuseries chronicles the gymnastics superstar's remarkable journey as she navigates the aftermath of her withdrawal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to mental health concerns. Through moments of vulnerability and resilience, the series captures Biles rebuilding her skills and mental fortitude — all while preparing for her triumphant return to the sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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In a personal and reflective conversation, the GOAT shared raw insights into her life — her unparalleled achievements, struggles, comeback, and a look to the future — alongside director Katie Walsh during an Emmys FYC event hosted by Emmy-nominated actress Yvonne Orji (Insecure).
The gymnast revealed she wasn't sure if she wanted to be followed around by cameras for four years. "It took me a lot of time through therapy — and it was really a commitment to do," Biles admitted. "[Katie and I] saw the need in the athletic world for more sports docuseries. We sat down and [shared ideas] before deciding, 'OK, if we're going to do this, we're really going to go for it. ... It needs to have a story.'"
Walsh said her top priority was ensuring Biles felt good about her competitive journey throughout the filming process. "My motto is 'people before projects' and I put everything through that filter," the director explained. The open dialogue included periodic check-ins to make sure Biles was prepared for interviews about "sensitive" topics. Biles said the film crew eventually became like family, joking, "Sometimes I would give them the code to my house, like, 'OK, you guys can come in. Just make sure the dogs don't run out.'"Of course, Biles' journey wouldn't be complete without her reflections on Tokyo 2020, where the world watched as she confronted mental and physical challenges on the grandest stage. The gymnast had to look away from the screen as hundreds of Emmy voters in attendance watched clips of Biles suffering through "the twisties" — a mental block where a gymnast loses sense of spatial orientation and body control while performing aerial maneuvers — which ultimately forced her to drop out of the games.
"I was like, 'How am I supposed to tell them that this is bad bad?'" Biles recalled. Ultimately, the star's vulnerability during Tokyo sparked broader conversations about mental health in sports. Biles said she was physically in the best shape of her life in Tokyo, but mentally the weakest.
After successfully making her comeback to the Paris Olympics four years later, Biles suffered a partially torn calf muscle during warm-ups. She candidly shared her fear of being labeled a quitter in the face of her battles: "The one thing that came into my head as soon as I did it, I was like, 'They're going to call me a quitter again. ... Absolutely not on my dime, not on my watch. Ain't happening. I'm going to show them.''
Biles clarified the difference between battling physical and mental struggles in sport. "We can push through pain. We're on the Olympic stage. I told my coach, 'I feel like if I just strangle my calf, I can do it.' Tokyo was different from this moment. Twisties is mental alignment with physical. You can't [push through] that."
Biles, already the most accomplished gymnast of all time, also teased her potential return for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles: "I'm not sure at what capacity because, if we've learned anything from the docuseries, it's that your mind and your body have to be in sync."
For now, she's taking time off to support her husband, football player Jonathan Owens, and to physically recuperate. "What we put our bodies through on the mat is a lot. ... At my age of 28, it's getting old, you know?"
"For a gymnast, that's old," Biles laughed. "I started out at age 4, OK?" Although noncommittal about her competitive future, Biles emphasized her enthusiasm for being involved in the L.A. Games in any capacity: "I do believe that I will be in L.A. I'm just not sure at what capacity yet — if that's on the mat or in the stands. But I'd be more than happy to attend in any way that I can."
Simone Biles Rising is streaming on Netflix.
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