Actress and comedienne Tiffany Haddish has been tapped to play legendary Olympian Florence Griffith Joyner in an upcoming biopic about the late athlete’s life.
The comedienne-turned-actress will not only play the starring role but is also producing the film, Variety reported. According to a press release about the film, Joyner, affectionately called “Flo-Jo” by fans, was someone Haddish looked up to in her youth.
Florence Griffith Joyner was a superior track and field athlete known for her speed, flashy style and very long nails. According to Time, as of 2020, she is still the fastest woman in the world running the 100-meter race in 10.49 seconds at the 1988 Olympics. That record still stands. Her sister-in-law was Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Al Joyner, her former coach and Jackie’s brother is her widower.
The stellar athlete died in her sleep after suffering from an epileptic seizure in 1998.
“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.”
Flo Jo’s husband, Al, will be consulting on the film.
Some fans have expressed concern about Tiffany Haddish playing the role due to comments she made back in May about violence in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Haddish, an Eritrean Jew, questioned “where the bodies at” in reference to Ethiopians and noted that many Eritreans were killed. Some fans interpreted the statement as her being a “genocide denier.”
A full blown genocide denier shouldnt have the license to play such an important figure@Game1Llc should seriously reconsider in light of Tiffany’s recent comments on the #TigrayGenocide #TigrayCantWait #TiffanySupportsGenocide https://t.co/ac86FImNTW
—
(@RootsInNejashi) June 3, 2021
However, most fans were happy for Haddish while reminding her that she better not mess it up.
I hope she understands the assignment… because if she don’t…. Whew https://t.co/76gI49bFhS
— مخلوق جميل? (@BadMoufShawty_) June 4, 2021
But, Haddish was a good sport and realizes the gravity of the role and the significance of the late olympian.
She is mine too. If I mess this up I will kick my own ass. #Facts
— Tiffany Haddish (@TiffanyHaddish) June 3, 2021
A release date for the biopic has not been announced.
