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Is the movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997) based on a true story?

Sophia Williams Sophia Williams Sep 27, 2021 · 1 min read
Is the movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997) based on a true story?
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Yes, the movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997) is based on the true story of Olympic diver Greg Louganis.

What is the true story behind the movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997)?

The movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997) is a biographical drama film based on the life of Olympic gold medal-winning diver Greg Louganis. The film portrays the personal struggles of Louganis, including his abusive childhood, his coming out as gay, his HIV-positive status, and his triumphs and successes as an athlete.

The true story behind the movie is that Louganis was born in 1960 in California and started diving at an early age. He won his first Olympic medal at the age of 16 at the 1976 Montreal Games but it was his performance at the 1984 Los Angeles Games that cemented his status as a diving legend. Louganis won two gold medals and two silver medals, and he was the first male diver to win both platform and springboard events in consecutive Olympic Games.

In his personal life, Louganis struggled with feelings of isolation and a fear of abandonment due to his tumultuous upbringing. When he came out as gay in the 1990s, he faced backlash and discrimination from members of the media and the public. Additionally, Louganis was diagnosed with HIV in 1988, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, and he faced stigma and discrimination due to his status.

Despite these challenges, Louganis continued to compete and set records in the sport of diving. He retired from competitive diving after the 1988 Olympics but continued to be an advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness and LGBT+ rights. In 1994, Louganis released his autobiography Breaking the Surface, which inspired the film adaptation.

Today, Greg Louganis is considered one of the greatest divers in history and a trailblazer for LGBT+ visibility and HIV/AIDS advocacy.

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Sophia Williams
Written by Sophia Williams
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