Being Serena

About Being Serena

"Being Serena" is a 2018 television series that gives an intimate look into the personal life of one of the greatest athletes of all time, Serena Williams. This docu-series captures her pregnancy, marriage, motherhood, and her return to supremacy on the tennis court. It premiered on HBO and consists of five episodes, each encapsulating parts of Serena's incredible journey.

Making / Production

Produced by HBO Sports and IMG’s original content group, "Being Serena" is executive produced by Patrick Mouratoglou, Mark Shapiro, Michael Antinoro, and Tony Godsick. Directed by Ryan White, it spans the period from the Australian Open in January 2017, where Serena learned she was pregnant, to her return to the court in 2018 post-childbirth.

Actors

• Serena Williams as Herself - Serena appears in this series as herself, honestly capturing her physical and emotional journey back to the top of her sport.
• Venus Williams as Herself - Venus happily steps into the supportive role of Serena’s sister, confidante, and biggest fan.
• Alexis Ohanian as Himself - As Serena’s husband, Alexis supports her through some of her most significant life changes.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• "Being Serena" is the first HBO sports series featuring a female athlete.
• It is Serena's first major media project about her personal life.
• Serena won her 23rd Grand Slam at the Australian Open while pregnant, a fact not revealed until after the tournament.

Awards

The series "Being Serena" has not won any notable awards as of the present time.

Quotes

• "I don’t like to lose — at anything… Yet I’ve grown most not from victories, but setbacks." - Serena Williams
• "This isn't just my story. This is a story I'm living for a lot of people." - Serena Williams
• "There are barriers I hope to break so my baby, whether boy or girl, won't have to live under those stipulations." - Serena Williams

Music / Soundtrack

• Original scoring for the series was composed by Nathan Matthew David.
• Other songs featured in the series include "Mama’s Hand" by Queen Naija, "Touch the Sky" by Kanye West featuring Lupe Fiasco, and "Strength, Courage, and Wisdom" by India.Arie.