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Olivia Wilde to Direct Kerri Strug Biopic 'Perfect', Says it's the 'Best Script' She's Read

By Mae Abdulbaki | Film | February 15, 2020 |

By Mae Abdulbaki | Film | February 15, 2020 |


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Olivia Wilde is on a winning streak. Following the successful and critically acclaimed Booksmart, the actress-turned-director has set her sights on her next film, the Kerri Strug biopic, Perfect. The film is based on the book Landing On My Feet, A Diary Of Dreams by Strug and John P. Lopez and follows the Olympic gymnast through a devastating injury to her gold medal win and that’s putting it lightly.

In all actuality, Kerri Strug was phenomenal. The summary makes it sound like she got through the injury and then competed in the Olympics much later, but nope. Strug was already injured when she nailed her final vault and was then carried by her coach to the podium, where she won the first gold medal for Team USA at the 1996 Olympics.

In a statement (via Deadline), Wilde had this to say about Perfect:


“This is a film about what real power looks like. It is an excruciatingly beautiful underdog story that will thrust the audience into the heart of Kerri Strug with unblinking, raw honesty. It is an epic sports movie that will deliver on all the wish-fulfillment that makes those films so thrilling to watch. At the same time, it is unlike any sports movie you have seen before.”


The director is expected to head to Berlin to further discuss the film, which was written by Ronnie Sandahl. Over on Twitter, Wilde expressed immense gratitude and joy in getting to tell this story on her own terms. She claims that it’s the “best script” she’s ever read, which is high praise.

Considering that it’s still in the very early stages of development, Perfect doesn’t yet have a scheduled release date or cast.



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