| Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Steven Hilliard Stern |
| Produced by | Mark Bacino (producer) Allen S. Epstein (executive producer) Jim Green (executive producer) Alan Hines (co-producer) Andrew McLean (supervising producer) |
| Written by | Greg Louganis (book) Eric Marcus (book) Alan Hines (written by) |
| Starring | Mario Lopez Michael Murphy |
| Music by | Richard Bellis |
| Cinematography | Michael Slovis |
| Editing by | Peter Svab |
| Release date(s) | March 19, 1997 |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story is a 1997 TV-movie about diver Greg Louganis based on the best-selling book Breaking the Surface co-written by Greg Louganis and Eric Marcus that stayed on top of the New York Times Best Seller list for 5 weeks.
Contents |
In Seoul, 1988, Greg Louganis (played by Mario Lopez) hits the diving board while plunging towards the water cutting his head open. Splashing into the water Greg begins to have flashbacks: As a young kid being ridiculed by neighborhood bullies and where his adoptive father (played powerfully by Michael Murphy) is not accepting, overbearing; winning the silver medal; the 1982 world championship; to gold medals in 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles; the struggles of an abusive relationship with Tom Barrett; his father's terminal cancer; Tom's losing battle with AIDS and Greg's own HIV positive status. After doctors in Seoul stitch Greg's head wound, he returns to competition and picks up two more gold medals. After his father's death and Tom's lost AIDS' battle, Greg courageously decides to come out and go public with every aspect of his life as a gay athlete.
Mario López was nominated for an ALMA Award for "Outstanding Individual Performance in a Made-for-Television Movie or Mini-Series in a Crossover Role"