BBC Studios’ Werner Film Productions has begun filming a miniseries about the life of tennis player Evonne Goolagong for Australian pubcaster ABC.<\/p>\n
The three-parter stars rising star Lila McGuire (The Twelve<\/em>) alongside Marton Csokas, Felix Mallard and Luke Carroll and is directed by\u00a0Wayne Blair from a script by Steven McGregor.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are thrilled to bring the inspiring story of Evonne Goolagong Cawley to ABC screens,\u201d said Rachel Okine, ABC’s head of scripted. \u201cThis is the story of a true sporting trailblazer whose resilience, humility and grace created a legacy that continues to reverberate around the globe. With an exceptional creative team bringing this remarkable life to screen, Goolagong<\/em> promises to be a landmark television event.\u201d<\/p>\n Joanna Werner of Werner Films said, \u201cIt\u2019s so incredibly rewarding to see Goolagong<\/em> move into production after nearly nine years in development. Having Evonne and Roger involved as associate producers has been invaluable, and we\u2019re so proud to be telling such an important Australian story with their guidance. We\u2019ve undertaken a nationwide casting process to assemble an exceptional ensemble, including exciting new talent and skilled tennis players. Lila McGuire brings something truly special to the role of Evonne\u2014we\u2019re excited for audiences to see her in this breakout role and to be moved by Evonne\u2019s inspiring story. We\u2019re deeply grateful to the ABC for championing this project and recognizing its significance from the outset. And we\u2019re thrilled that BBC Studios will now take this uniquely Australian story to audiences around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWorking on the Goolagong<\/em> series is one of the proudest moments of my career,\u201d said Danielle MacLean, co-producer. \u201cEvonne\u2019s success in the world of tennis broke barriers for our people and inspired a generation. Her story is one of perseverance, talent and the inner strength that helped her succeed against the odds. As a First Nations filmmaker, I feel deeply honored to help bring it to life.\u201d<\/p>\n Screen Australia’s director of narrative content, Louise Gough, and First Nations department development and investment manager, Jorjia Gillis, said, \u201cEvonne Goolagong-Cawley, is one of Australia\u2019s greatest sporting legends with a story destined for screen. This distinctive series from a powerhouse creative team cleverly balances a celebration of Goolagong\u2019s sporting triumphs and a lifetime of adversity as a First Nations woman living, winning and loving in a patriarchal world. What shines through is a story of commitment, community and culture\u2014a story that will resonate with audiences worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher added, \u201cWe are honored to support some of Australia\u2019s most exciting First Peoples talent both in front of and behind the camera, including writer Steven McGregor, producer Danielle MacLean and director Wayne Blair, who will bring Evonne Goolagong\u2019s inspiring story to the screen. This is a story that will resonate with all Australians and will deepen our connection to Evonne as both First Peoples woman and athlete and her unique strength, resilience and vulnerability as she navigates her life\u2019s journey.\u201d<\/p>\n Goolagong<\/em> will air on ABC TV and ABC iview in 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BBC Studios’ Werner Film Productions has begun filming a miniseries about the life of tennis player Evonne Goolagong for Australian pubcaster ABC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":290,"featured_media":22880,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[375,1138,10893,10891,10890,10894,10896,10895,3537],"class_list":["post-22879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-top-stories","tag-abc-australia","tag-bbc-studios","tag-felix-mallard","tag-goolagong","tag-joanna-werner","tag-lila-mcguire","tag-luke-carroll","tag-marton-csokas","tag-werner-film-productions","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\n