Being Serena’ Documentary coming to HBO in May
By Cherie Saunders
HBO Sports and IMG’s original content group are teaming for “Being Serena,” a five-part documentary about tennis star Serena Williams, reports Variety.
Cameras followed Williams’ pregnancy, the birth of her child, her new marriage, and her return to the court for the docuseries, which is scheduled to premiere on May 2.
“HBO is honored to work with Serena Williams on such a personal project,” said Peter Nelson, executive vice president, HBO Sports. “Even though she has been in the spotlight since her teenage years, Serena continues to capture the imagination. With our partners at IMG, we look forward to giving viewers a revealing, behind-the-scenes portrait of her life on and off the court.”
Williams won her 7th Australian Open in January 2017. Four months later, Williams revealed that she and fiancé Alexis Ohanian were expecting their first child and that she had been eight weeks pregnant at the time of the Australian Open. Williams gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. in September, and she and Ohanian were married in November.
This spring, Williams will appear in her first Grand Slam event, the French Open in May, since her Austrailan Open victory.
“Serena Williams is a force unlike any other,” said Mark Shapiro, co-president of WME and IMG. “Her entire life is one of the hero’s journey, and it has been a privilege to work with her as she enters this next phase. HBO was an incredible partner in developing a unique look into Serena’s world, and we look forward to sharing this all-access story with the world in May.”
Shapiro, Will Staeger, and Michael Antinoro will serve as executive producers of “Being Serena,” with Nelson and Rick Bernstein exec producing for HBO. Bentley Weiner will serve as supervising producers.
