Battle of the Sexes is a film in the pipeline which will recall the events of the legendary match in 1973 between former tennis pro 55-year old Bobby Riggs and 29-year-old opponent Billie Jean King. This momentous match was pivotal in the belief and worthiness of women's contribution to sport. Today, it remains the most watched tennis match in history.
The contentious comments made by BNP tournament director Raymond Moore have brought to the fore again, 43 years after the Battle of the Sexes, the disregard of women's contribution to sport. "If I was a lady player, I’d go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport."
The backlash that followed Moore's comment sparked outrage amongst some of tennis' top players and led to his swift resignation as CEO. Six-time Wimbledon champion and tennis-pro Serena Williams made her stance on the matter clear during a press conference; "Get on your knees, which is offensive enough, and thank a man, which is not — we, as women, have come a long way. Last year the women's final at the U.S. Open sold out well before the men. I'm sorry, did Roger play in that final or Rafa or any man play in that final that was sold out before the men's final? I think not." She went on to pay tribute to King: "I mean, you look at someone like Billie Jean King who opened so many doors for not only women's players but women athletes in general."
In light of all this, it is apt timing for the production of Battle of the Sexes film and the cast is filling out nicely. Steve Carell will play Bobby Riggs alongside Emma Stone as Billie Jean King. The supporting cast has been announced today and includes Sarah Silverman, Andrea Riseborough and Elisabeth Shue. The script is courtesy of Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) with Fox Searchlight funding the project.
Battle of the Sexes is due for release in 2017.