Brittney Griner will be sharing her story across multiple platforms.
On Thursday, it was announced that the two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA star will give Disney the exclusive rights to share her story through their platforms. Brittney, 33, who was arrested in Russia last year and sentenced to nine years in prison, will chronicle her journey with a documentary feature from ESPN Films and a scripted series through ABC Signature. Griner will also sit down for her first exclusive interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, according to Variety.
“The last two years have been the most harrowing, transformative and illuminating period of my life, and I am grateful to be in a place now to share my story with the world,” said the Texas native via press release. “I’m proud to partner with ESPN and Disney to share this very personal story because of its incredible potential to inspire hope around the world and their proven ability to do just that.”
“Throughout BG’s detainment and in the time since, ESPN, ABC and Disney were supportive and caring in regards to the human side of this saga,” said Cherelle Griner, Britney’s wife and executive producer on the projects. “Love and family were at the center of the fight to get BG home, and with that in mind, there is no better, more trusted partner to tell that story with us.”
Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport for cannabis possession last February when returning to her Russian team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, during the WNBA off-season. She was deemed wrongfully detained by the U.S. government and, despite outcry from the international sports community, Griner was reportedly held in harsh conditions and could not communicate with her family for nearly a year. She was freed from Russian custody last December as part of a prisoner exchange agreement with the U.S.
The documentary will feature exclusive footage, recordings, and letters to and from Griner during her time in prison.
Premiere dates and further details on the projects, including the ABC News interview, will be announced at a later date.
