Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish is set to play the late, great Florence Griffith Joyner in an upcoming biopic.
“We are thrilled to partner with Tiffany on such an important project,” said Basil Iwanyk, Game1 Co-CEO’ and co-producer of the film. “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.”
If you don’t know, Griffith-Joyner was known for being one of the best track and field stars to ever do it. She was—and is still known as—the fastest woman in the world; shattering and setting track and field records, all while winning the people over with her infectious personality and flashy style.
Her performance in the 1988 olympics in particular was one for the books. In fact, many of the records she set in the 100m and 200m have yet to be broken. Unfortunately, Flo-Jo’s life came to a devastating end in 1998 at the age of 38, due to an epileptic seizure.
Fans were worried about Haddish being able to give an honest and accurate portrayal of someone as iconic and influential as Flo-Jo. However, this isn’t a standalone project made without the input of people who were near and dear to Griffith-Joyner—her widower and former coach, Al Joyner, will also serve as a producer and creative consultant.
Additionally, Joyner has begun training Haddish to play the role using the exact methods Flo-Jo practiced throughout her career.
“I am so elated to team up with game1 and Tiffany Haddish on this project,” said Joyner. “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!”
The “Girls Trip” star is obviously very excited to accept the role—considering that Griffith-Joyner isn’t just a cultural icon, but a personal hero for Haddish. In the official press release, Haddish explained why she took the role, and what she hopes to accomplish with the film:
“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.”
In addition to the film, game1 and Haddish will also be partnering up with contributing brands to create a docuseries and podcast. There’s no word on when the movie will be released, but it’s one we’ll be tuning in for.
