Watch Margot Robbie Transform Into Disgraced Ice Skater in First ‘I, Tonya’ Teaser
The winter leading up to the 1994 Olympics brought out an intense rivalry between figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. The infamous rivalry has now made its way to the big screen in a comedy-biopic starring Margot Robbie as Harding.
The dark comedy opens up on a ruthless Harding putting out a cigarette butt with her skate just as she gets ready to compete.
“America — they want someone to love, but they want someone to hate,” Harding says in a voiceover. “And the haters always say, ‘Tonya, tell the truth.’ There’s no such thing as truth — I mean, it’s bullshit.”
The short teaser continues showing Harding becoming the first American woman to land a triple axel jump in competition. As she lands the exquisite jump, the teaser shows a glimpse of a baton, similar to the one used in the striking of Kerrigan’s leg, alongside clips of her explosive husband, Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), and her abusive mother, LaVonda Golden (Allison Janney).
The film gained major praise during the Toronto International Film Festival and was quickly picked up by distributor Neon for $5 million.
Before reading the script for I, Tonya, Robbie was not aware of the infamous rivalry between the American figure skaters.
“I think I was about four years old when the incident took place,” Robbie told Vanity Fair. “I was in Australia and totally unaware of the whole incident and the crazy controversy. To be honest, when I read the script, I didn’t know who Tonya Harding was, and I didn’t realize it was a true story.”
She continued, “I thought it was entirely fictionalized and our writer Steve [Rogers] was so creative to come up with the quirky characters and absurd incidents.”
Expect to hear Robbie’s name a bunch this awards season. The Australian actress has already picked up a nomination from the Gotham Awards for her callous portrayal of Harding.
I, Tonya hits theaters with a limited release on Dec. 8, continuing with a nationwide release in January. SHARE the full teaser with friends who remember this dramatic story!
