Many articles have been written about Simone Biles. But the Olympic champion wants the world to hear her story told from her point of view.
Biles reflected on her journey to success on Monday, June 2, during a For Your Consideration panel on the Netflix docuseries Simone Biles Rising, at the Hollywood Athletic Club in Los Angeles.
Urban Hollywood 411 was there as actress and comedian Yvonne Orji interviewed Biles and director Katie Walsh about the making of the four-part docuseries.
The event was part of Netflix’s “FYSEE LA festival” — a citywide campaign launched in May to showcase the streaming giant’s top content ahead of Emmy nomination voting.
Related: Jamie Foxx Tells Netflix FYSEE Event He’s Fed Up With TMZ, Diddy and ‘Fake’ Celebrities
In the series, which premiered in July 2024, Ohio native Biles reflects on her career, including her decision to withdraw from competition during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to what she described as “mental blocks.”
Biles told the audience at FYSEE LA she leaned on her mother, Nellie Biles, once she decided to leave the competition.
“I think that helped me realize that in that moment, I’m worth more than gold medals,” Biles said, recalling that her mom told her, “This is going to be okay. We’ll figure it out as a family once we get home and we’ll take the proper steps to get the help that I deserve.”
Walsh said she was moved by Nellie’s reaction to her daughter’s decision.
“She immediately knew what to say, ‘It’s okay. You need to do what’s best for you in this moment.’ There was no question. She was talking to her daughter, not to Simone Biles in that moment,” Walsh said.
Biles admitted she was hesitant to revisit the experience in the docuseries, but ultimately she agreed to it in hopes that it would resonate with others.
“Everyone has either told my story or heard my story,” she said. “I think they need to hear this side of me, even if I’m being vulnerable, because it might touch just one person out there and if it changes their life or helps them in a way, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
The title of the docuseries was inspired by the Maya Angelou poem Still I Rise. As those three words suggest, Biles eventually rose above the disappointment.
She said multiple times at the FYSEE LA event that therapy helped her find strength.
“At the end of the day, I’m just Simone, I have mental health issues, I can go to therapy, I can get back up on my bike and ride again… It’s not rock bottom. You can always pull yourself out and lead again and step into that power,” she explained.
Biles also shared the impact her decision had globally.
“There was a stat after that, 40 percent of women around the world got the help that they deserve after they saw what happened in Tokyo,” she said.
After Tokyo, Biles returned to competition and made history at the 2024 Paris games, when she became “the most decorated gymnast in history,” with a career total of seven gold, two silver and two bronze Olympic medals, according to Olympics.com.
As for what’s next, that’s something Biles said she is still considering.
Simone Biles Rising is produced by Religion of Sports in association with the Olympic Channel.
Per the Television Academy schedule, Emmy balloting runs from June 12 to June 23. Final nominations will be announced on July 15.
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