Netflix has made the decision to cancel a film project starring Millie Bobby Brown, following her departure due to creative disagreements. The 22-year-old actress was originally set to play Kerri Strug, a real-life gymnast, in an upcoming Olympic drama titled Perfect.
The project, which was first announced in September, will no longer proceed at the streaming platform after Brown left because of differences in creative direction, according to two sources who spoke with Deadline.
Brown was scheduled to portray Strug, a member of the 1996 “Magnificent Seven” USA gymnastics team. At just 18 years old, Strug played a pivotal role in helping her team win first place after she completed the vault on an injured ankle. This moment has become one of the most iconic in Olympic history, as Strug’s coach had to carry her off the mat when her ankle gave out. However, she managed to land the vault perfectly before being carried to the podium for the gold medal ceremony.
Strug has since become a well-known figure in popular culture, appearing on talk shows and even on cereal boxes. After retiring from competitive gymnastics, she has worked as an elementary school teacher and held various roles in the White House and Justice Department.
The film was intended to be written by Ronnie Sandahl and directed by Cate Shortland, who took over from original director Gia Coppola, the granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola and niece of Sofia Coppola, after she left the project.
The Independent has contacted representatives from Netflix and Brown for additional comments.
Despite this setback, Brown has several other projects in the works. A third sequel to Enola Holmes is set to premiere on Netflix this summer, where she reprises her role as the teenage sister of the famous Victorian-era detective.
Additionally, Brown has finished filming the romantic comedy Just Picture It, in which she also served as a producer. She is currently working with Netflix on another project called Nineteen Steps, a movie adaptation of her debut novel.
Nineteen Steps, published in 2023, was inspired by her grandmother’s experience during the 1943 Bethnal Green tube disaster.
However, the release of the book sparked some controversy, particularly regarding the cover that only features Brown’s name despite being ghostwritten by author Kathleen McGurl. This has reignited discussions about ghostwritten celebrity books, such as those by Katie Price, Naomi Campbell, and Zoë Sugg, known online as Zoella.
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