Simone Biles – a natural daredevil, has captured our hearts with her fearless spirit! We all know about her journey so far, whether it’s her triumphs or personal struggles such as the twisties. But we Bilesians are so obsessed with her that we even know her favorite singer-Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and her favorite movie- All of Zac Efron’s flicks. Her inspiration- is Dominique Moceanu and her favorite routine- is the floor. But do you know she’s also a fan of poetry? Surprised? What if we told you that’s also one facet of Simone Biles’s upcoming Netflix docuseries, “SIMONE BILES RISING: part 1”?

Netflix dropped a teaser on Instagram on July 16th for “Simone Biles Rising,” hitting screens on July 17th. The teaser includes narration by Viola Davis, an American actress and film producer. What sets this apart is Davis channeling the words of the late Maya Angelou, a towering figure in literature who won at least 54 major awards and honors during her lifetime and even posthumously. In this upcoming documentary, “Simone Biles Rising,” Biles opens up about the uphill battles she faced during the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games, which ended with twisties and withdrawal from it, while also looking ahead to the 2024 Paris Olympics. This glimmer of hope is what keeps stoking her flame, another aspect that will be delved into in this celluloid.

Viola Davis reads lines from Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise,” a personal favorite of Simone Biles. Davis starts with, “Did you want to see me broken?” as Biles, dressed in white sports clothes, looks directly at the camera. The narration continues with, ” Bowed head and lowered eyes? shoulders fallen down like teardrops. weakened by my soulful cries?” signalling her comeuppance and redemption. These words are paired with clips of Biles struggling with “the twisties” at the Tokyo Games, showing her determination and ending with emotional moments of tears.

The poem continues with Davis reciting, “Just like moons and like suns/ With the certainty of tides,” as footage of Biles outdoors unfolds. She concludes with, “Just like hopes springing high/ Still, I rise,” accompanied by scenes of Biles celebrating joyful moments, like her wedding day with her husband Jonathan Owens and triumphant moments on the podium. The teaser ends with a flourish as a montage of clips of Biles executing flawless moves in the gym, reminiscent of her recent performance when she secured her spot on the Olympic team are shown too to all and sundry.

The caption of the post captures all emotions, “To celebrate the premiere of SIMONE BILES RISING: part 1 tomorrow, here’s EGOT winner Viola Davis narrating Dr. Maya Angelou’s poem ‘Still I Rise’ (it’s Simone’s fave).” This poem strikes a chord with Simone Biles because it mirrors the highs, lows, and every bit of her sojourn. However, yesterday, on July 15th, Netflix dropped another teaser of the ‘Still I Rise’ docuseries on YouTube, giving fans a glimpse of what’s to come.

Simone Biles’s journey through the ups and downs

During the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Simone Biles faced a challenging ordeal with ‘the twisties,’ a condition that disrupts the synchronization between mind and body in gymnastics. This led to her withdrawal from team competition. Three years later, in a teaser of the upcoming documentary released on Netflix’s YouTube channel, a moment is captured where Biles’ mother, Nellie Biles, braids her daughter’s hair while discussing the ups and downs of Simone’s Olympic journey.

“There’s a lot of what happened in Tokyo that tends to creep in, so those are the things we want to make sure that she doesn’t go in that, in that, place again.” Nellie shared.  That means memories from Tokyo often resurface, and her mom strives to ensure she doesn’t revisit those challenges. Reflecting on Tokyo, she added, “Tokyo was the one time I did not braid Simone’s hair. She is an adult; I mean, this girl can braid her hair, but it’s not about her braiding her hair. It’s that bonding, it’s that not saying much, it’s the touch, that’s what doing her hair means”

But Biles after Tokyo 2020, made a comeback in 2023 marked a turning point, and this year has been defined by Simone Biles’ triumphant return to form. In each competition, she has delivered stellar performances, consistently securing top honors.  With every twist and turn, she’s showing us what it means to strive for fortitude when the challenges hit you.