Tiffany Haddish To Portray Olympic Icon Florence Griffith Joyner In New Biopic

Tiffany Haddish is set portray the late Florence Griffith Joyner in an upcoming biopic about the Olympic track and field legend.

The “Girls Trip” actor will also serve as a producer on the film about Joyner, who was known to her fans as Flo-Jo.

“I am looking forward to telling Flo-Jo’s story the way it should be told,” Haddish said in a statement to Variety on Thursday. “My goal with this film is making sure that younger generations know my ‘she-ro’ Flo-Jo, the fastest woman in the world to this day, existed.”

Joyner, a style icon who memorably donned one-legged racing suits , is indeed the fastest woman of all time. She still holds world records in the 100 meters and 200 meters that she set in 1988.

Joyner died after suffering an epileptic seizure in 1998 at 38. 

The star athlete’s widower and former coach, Al Joyner, will serve as a producer and creative consultant on the biopic. Therese Andrews, executive vice president of production at sports content studio Game1, will spearhead the entire project, Variety reported. 

“I am so elated to team up with Game1 and Tiffany Haddish on this project,” Al Joyner told the publication. “Working with Tiffany has been a great pleasure – she is incredibly dedicated, focused, and committed to portraying the spirit of Florence accurately, whose legacy of making a difference in the world will live on for generations to come.”

A search for a writer for the biopic is underway, The Hollywood Reporter reported. 

Haddish tweeted  about her excitement for her upcoming role on Thursday. 

“I can’t even explain how hard I am going to work to honor Her Legacy!” she wrote. 

Joyner’s fans and fellow athletes have helped to keep her legacy alive with various tributes over the years. 

Serena Williams paid tribute to Joyner by wearing a pink, red and black one-legged uniform when she competed in the Australian Open in February. 

“I was inspired by Flo-Jo, who was a wonderful track athlete, amazing athlete when I was growing up,” she said at the time.