Reese Witherspoon Is Producing a Documentary on the Social Activism of Tennis Icon Martina Navratilova
EntertainmentOn Tuesday, Variety reported that Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, is tackling the development of its first feature-length documentary: a look at the legacy of legendary lesbian tennis player Martina Navratilova, which will highlight her social and political activism on behalf of women and the LGBTQ community.
The film, which is being produced in partnership with Glenn Greenwald and Suzanne Gilbert, will, it seems, focus heavily on Greenwald, for whom Navratilova, was a role model when he was young. Greenwald said of the project, “As monumental as Martina’s on-court achievements were, they pale in comparison to her role as a pioneer and trailblazer on questions of feminism, women’s athletics, equality for gay and lesbians across the planet, transgender visibility, immigrant rights and the right of political dissent.”
Hello Sunshine’s head of digital media and programming, Charlotte Koh, said in a statement, “The issues raised by Martina’s legacy resonate now more than ever, which is why it’s so important to tell her story to new generations of engaged young people who may not be aware of the vital role she played in shaping expectations around female identity and LGBT equality.”
Navratilova is widely considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time, having won 18 singles titles, 31 major women’s doubles titles, and 10 major mixed doubles titles.