I, Tonya

I, Tonya

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2017
Founder	Craig Gillespie (director), Steven Rogers (writer)
Products	Biographical sports drama film

I, Tonya is a 2017 American biographical sports drama directed by Craig Gillespie and penned by Steven Rogers. The narrative explores the life and skating career of Tonya Harding, focusing on her connection to the infamous 1994 attack on competitor Nancy Kerrigan. The film employs "contradictory" yet "entirely truthful" interviews featuring Harding and her former spouse Jeff Gillooly, depicting them as unreliable narrators. It incorporates dark humor and direct-to-camera interview segments, starring Margot Robbie—who also served as a producer—as Harding, with Sebastian Stan portraying Gillooly, and Allison Janney as Harding’s mother, LaVona Golden. The supporting cast includes Julianne Nicholson, Caitlin Carver, Paul Walter Hauser, and Bobby Cannavale.

While inspired by actual events, the film offers a reinterpretation that casts Harding more as a victim amid controversy surrounding her involvement in the scandal. I, Tonya debuted at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8 before its U.S. theatrical release on December 8, 2017. Produced on an $11 million budget, it earned $53 million globally and was praised by critics, especially for the performances of Robbie, Stan, and Janney.

At the 90th Academy Awards, Janney secured the Best Supporting Actress award; additionally, the film received nominations for Best Actress (Robbie) and Best Film Editing. It was nominated three times at the 75th Golden Globe Awards, with Janney winning Best Supporting Actress. Janney also won accolades from the Screen Actors Guild and Critics' Choice Movie Awards. Robbie earned Best Actress nominations at both ceremonies. Furthermore, the film garnered five nominations at the 71st British Academy Film Awards, where Janney won Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Plot

In 1974 Portland, Oregon, four-year-old Tonya Harding is coerced into ice skating by her physically abusive mother, LaVona Golden. Tonya’s schooling is discontinued by her parents to concentrate solely on skating under coach Diane Rawlinson. Eventually, her father departs. Rising to become one of America’s leading figure skaters, Tonya confronts obstacles linked to her "white trash" reputation, self-made costumes, and unconventional musical choices such as songs by ZZ Top. At age 15, she begins dating Jeff Gillooly and later marries him; he becomes abusive. Tonya holds LaVona responsible for much of her difficult upbringing.

After dismissing Diane as coach, Tonya hires Dody Teachman and achieves a historic milestone as the first American woman to land two triple Axel jumps in competition. During the 1992 Winter Olympics, she places fourth following unsuccessful attempts at landing jumps. Feeling defeated, she briefly works as a waitress before resuming training for the 1994 Winter Olympics. Despite delivering strong performances, she senses that her image negatively affects scoring. Rejected when seeking help from her mother, Tonya reluctantly turns to Jeff. On the day of a 1993 competition, Tonya receives a death threat and withdraws from participation. Jeff instructs Shawn Eckardt to send threatening messages to rival Nancy Kerrigan and arranges an assault on Nancy’s knee through hired assailants; these individuals are subsequently apprehended.

The FBI launches an investigation; Shawn implicates Jeff, who is appalled by how far the plan has escalated. Tonya qualifies for the Olympic team but fears being tarnished by association. She informs the FBI about Jeff and Shawn’s involvement but discovers they shared her interview with Jeff, who confronts her afterward. Tonya escapes his presence while Jeff later alleges that she had prior knowledge of the attack.

LaVona visits Tonya while secretly wearing a wire; Tonya expels her from her home. Charges are filed against Jeff, Shawn, and their accomplices; Tonya’s disciplinary hearing is postponed until after the Olympics. At the games, Tonya finishes eighth while Nancy earns silver; Tonya accuses Nancy of unsportsmanlike conduct. She receives a lifetime ban from competitive skating but avoids incarceration; despite pleading for jail time instead of losing her career permanently, the ban remains effective.

Jeff admits responsibility for ending Tonya’s skating career, changes his name, opens a hair salon business, divorces his first wife, and remarries. LaVona relocates to Washington with no further contact with Tonya. Tonya herself marries twice more, pursues professional boxing, and works in landscaping and construction trades. She currently resides with her third husband and their son, emphasizing her role as a devoted mother.

Cast

• Margot Robbie portrays Tonya Harding
  • Mckenna Grace plays Tonya as a child
  • Maizie Smith depicts Tonya at age four
• Sebastian Stan appears as Jeff Gillooly, Tonya's boyfriend and eventual ex-husband
• Allison Janney embodies LaVona Golden, Tonya's harsh mother
• Julianne Nicholson takes on the role of Diane Rawlinson, Tonya's figure skating coach
• Caitlin Carver represents Nancy Kerrigan, Tonya’s skating competitor and fellow Olympian, who was the target of the 1994 attack
• Bojana Novakovic acts as Dody Teachman, another skating coach
• Paul Walter Hauser plays Shawn Eckardt, Tonya’s bodyguard and friend of Jeff
• Bobby Cannavale is cast as Martin Maddox, a former journalist
• Dan Triandiflou portrays Bob Rawlinson, Diane’s spouse and Tonya’s legal representative
• Ricky Russert appears as Shane Stant, the assailant hired to attack Nancy Kerrigan
• Anthony Reynolds plays Derrick Smith, Stant’s uncle and the initial organizer of the attack
• Cassidy Balkcom features as Oksana Baiul, an Olympic competitor (uncredited)
• Fi Dieter appears as Midori Ito (uncredited)

Development

Screenwriter Steven Rogers was motivated to craft I, Tonya after viewing a documentary on figure skating that referenced Tonya Harding. He conducted separate interviews with Harding and her former husband Jeff Gillooly, who each recounted the 1994 controversy from differing viewpoints. Rogers intended to present these varied perspectives for viewers to interpret independently. He described the project as an exploration of "the stories we tell ourselves... how narratives evolve."

Gillooly refused compensation for life rights or interviews and accepted accountability for his involvement in the incident, acknowledging that it was his idea to intimidate Nancy Kerrigan’s performance.

Margot Robbie, who both co-produced and starred as Harding, only recognized that the screenplay was based on true events after reading it. Prior to filming, she met Harding in Portland and spent four months training to perform skating scenes authentically. Heidi Munger and Anna Malkova served as skating doubles; coaching and choreography were provided by Sarah Kawahara. The triple Axel jump was created through visual effects since no double could execute it.

Rogers tailored the role of LaVona Golden specifically for his longtime friend Allison Janney, who considered it among her most demanding performances. Following the Toronto premiere, Janney characterized LaVona as an intelligent woman who inspired Tonya through strict discipline.

Director Craig Gillespie was attracted by the chance to address media ethics and portray Harding candidly without sentimentality. Although hesitant about revisiting Nancy Kerrigan’s story, he aimed to illustrate the reasons behind Harding’s character.

Filming

Principal photography commenced in late January 2017 in Macon, Georgia, utilizing the Macon Coliseum as a filming location. During production, Margot Robbie suffered a herniated disc in her neck and underwent routine MRI scans to monitor her condition while performing skating sequences. Filming wrapped up in late February, with additional pick-up shots completed in Atlanta on May 16. Robbie and Tom Ackerley postponed their honeymoon plans to accommodate the I, Tonya shooting schedule.

Music

Several tracks featured in I, Tonya were directly taken from Harding's actual routines, such as ZZ Top's "Sleeping Bag". Music supervisor Susan Jacobs curated additional selections from the 1970s era, including Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" and Supertramp's "Goodbye Stranger", which evoke a period characterized by "warm" and "powerful" sounds. Jacobs remarked that these classic rock pieces complemented the narrative without overwhelming it. Critic Emily Manning drew attention to songs like En Vogue's "Free Your Mind" and Heart's "Barracuda" for their thematic resonance with Tonya's determination. The closing track is a rendition of "The Passenger" by Siouxsie and the Banshees, chosen by Jacobs for its female viewpoint and meaningful lyrics that aligned well with the film’s tone. Additionally, the lyrics of Dire Straits' "Romeo and Juliet" closely mirrored elements of the storyline.

The official soundtrack, released on December 8, 2017 by Milan Records, includes both songs featured in the movie and original score compositions.

Though not originally requested, Sufjan Stevens offered his 2017 track "Tonya Harding" to Jacobs; however, it was ultimately not used as it did not fit within the film’s structure.

Release

Just prior to filming, Miramax secured distribution rights for I, Tonya across the United States, Eastern Europe, Russia, and Greece for $6 million and contributed to finalizing the production. Before its debut, Miramax’s distribution rights were once again available on the market, yet the company remained involved with the project. The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2017. A competitive bidding process for domestic distribution ensued involving Netflix, Entertainment Studios, Annapurna Pictures, CBS Films, and Aviron Pictures. Ultimately, distribution was acquired by Neon and 30West for $5 million. The theatrical release took place on December 8, 2017.

In January 2018, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe conducted an interview with Nancy Kerrigan, who had not yet viewed the film. When questioned about being portrayed as "a victim of Harding's dysfunctional life," Kerrigan acknowledged this perspective but stressed her focus remains on her own life. Concerning Hollywood’s depiction of Tonya Harding, she expressed indifference toward it. Kerrigan described her role in the 1994 scandal as simply recovering from an assault and characterized the incident as "a bizarre thing" and "crazy," emphasizing that it was merely a story.

Home media

The movie became available on both DVD and Blu-ray starting March 13, 2018.

Box office

I, Tonya earned $30 million domestically across the United States and Canada, with an additional $23.9 million generated internationally, bringing its global total to $53.9 million.

Following a limited release that garnered $11.6 million over four weeks, it debuted widely in 799 theaters with a weekend gross of $2.9 million. After receiving three Oscar nominations, the film expanded into 161 more theaters the subsequent week, earning $3 million during that period.

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, I, Tonya boasts a 90% approval rating derived from 384 reviews, with an average score of 7.8 out of 10. The critical consensus praises the compelling performances by Robbie and Janney, as well as the film’s adept blend of humor and emotional nuance. Meanwhile, on Metacritic, the movie holds a 77 out of 100 rating based on 47 critic reviews, signifying "generally favorable" feedback.

Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com described the film as an "irresistible" combination of envy and social class tension, featuring powerful acting and emotional depth. She also lauded director Craig Gillespie for his skillful approach in delivering affectionate satire without diminishing Harding herself. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone observed the film’s commentary on America's class divisions, calling it both amusing and poignant. Angelica Jade Bastién of Vulture particularly emphasized Robbie’s performance as deeply impactful.

Ty Burr at The Boston Globe regarded the film as an unexpectedly intricate narrative exploring talent and class-based resentment. He commended Steven Rogers’ screenplay for its candid yet coarse dialogue but questioned if the movie fully confronted Harding's victimization and media scrutiny.

On the other hand, Richard Brody of The New Yorker criticized the movie for what he saw as a patronizing depiction of working-class existence and Tonya Harding herself. Jean Hannah Edelstein from The Guardian felt the film exploited Harding’s story for comedic effect at her expense.

Allison Janney earned widespread praise for her portrayal of LaVona Golden. Reviewers characterized her role as scene-stealing, flamboyant, and emotionally layered. Brian Truitt of USA Today described Janney as magnificent, dominating every scene with commanding intensity.

Some critiques targeted the film’s historical inaccuracies aimed at eliciting sympathy for Harding. Christine Brennan of USA Today, who reported on the original events in 1994, pointed out that the movie neglects Harding’s own accountability. J.E. Vader from the Sonoma Index-Tribune and The Oregonian, who tracked Harding’s early career, dismissed the film as a fantasy that glosses over her troubled background.

Accolades

Following its release, I, Tonya garnered numerous awards and nominations. At the 7th AACTA International Awards, Robbie secured the Best Actress title, while Janney took home Best Supporting Actress. The film received five nominations at the 71st British Academy Film Awards, including Best Actress nod for Robbie and Best Original Screenplay recognition for Rogers; Janney won Best Supporting Actress.

At the 23rd Critics' Choice Awards, Robbie was awarded Best Actress in a Comedy and Janney won Best Supporting Actress. The production earned three nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards and one at the Producers Guild of America Awards. Both Robbie and Janney were contenders for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in Leading and Supporting Roles respectively at the 24th Screen Actors Guild Awards. Rogers received a nomination for Best Original Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America, while Tatiana S. Riegel won the American Cinema Editors Award for Best Edited Film (Comedy or Musical).

At the 75th Golden Globe Awards, Janney won Best Supporting Actress, with additional nominations including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Robbie for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

During the 90th Academy Awards, Janney earned the Best Supporting Actress accolade; Robbie was nominated for Best Actress, while Riegel received a nod for Best Film Editing.

External links

• I, Tonya on History vs. Hollywood