The greatness of Simone Biles needs no introduction, as most already know about it. She has left no stone unturned throughout her career to prove that she is the greatest of all time. However, most know about Simone’s achievements and the enigma she is rather than the person herself.
This is why the first season of the Netflix documentary Simone Biles Rising became so popular. It showed the gymnast recovering from the Tokyo Olympics debacle as she prepared to make a comeback in Paris. But while she kept a confident exterior for most of the series, director Katie Walsh understood and empathized with the things she was going through. After all, the criticism that came her way post-Tokyo was not easy to handle.
Thus, when Katie was set to shoot the series, she must have had a goal in her mind. Every filmmaker does that as they decide how to portray their subject. Katie Walsh also had an aim before filming. To take the character that is Simone Biles, a legendary gymnast, and make people understand her better. This is because she felt that it was tough to empathize with her, as she really is the best in the world in her field.
Talking to Fox News, she said, “I think the end goal is to relate to her, and when you see someone of her caliber competing and succeeding in the way that she does, it’s hard to connect with that because there’s nobody else that can do it. She’s all on her own in that category.” Walsh added, “But I think when you’re watching the film, you get a better understanding of the person and the human, not the superhuman. And, once you get to know her a little bit, you realize that she is normal in many ways.”
Katie also talked about how she enjoyed filming Simone throughout her journey to the Paris Olympics, describing it as awesome. After that, she talked about how her relationship with the gymnast is really great. According to Katie, Simone Biles could be herself with her without any hesitation.
This is how she got access to key moments in the competition. For example, the director was present when Simone was in the hotel room just before entering the competition and could feel the tension in the surroundings. All of these elements combined made the documentary successful in its first season and could potentially do it again in the second.
Another thing Katie Walsh tackled was how people expected Simone Biles to win four gold medals and instead she could win only three. While this is obviously a monumental achievement, some people still expressed disappointment. However, Katie does not feel so.
Katie Walsh denies any disappointment from Simone Biles’ performance at the Paris Olympics
As Katie Walsh had followed Simone throughout her Olympic journey, she is aware of a lot more about the things going on behind the scenes than the general public. Thus, in the same interview with Fox News, she was asked whether Simone expressed any disappointment in not winning four gold medals.
The gymnast was also expected to win the gold in the floor exercise, where she had to settle for the silver instead as Rebeca Andrade finished first.
However, Simone Biles herself never wanted to win four gold medals. According to Katie, her main concentration was on the team and the all-around event where she managed to win the gold.
“So I don’t think there was even an iota of disappointment in her medal count,” said Katie. Thus, Simone seemed satisfied with three gold medals and one silver, which definitely completed her comeback from the Tokyo Olympics debacle. Therefore, it seems that season two of the documentary might have a very happy ending as the protagonist is successful in her journey.
