HBO
Tonight, HBO is debuting What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali—a two-part documentary that tells the story of Ali’s boxing career and how he can become a force for change through social awareness.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) and executive produced by LeBron James, the doc examines Ali’s career as a fighter, his controversies, and details how the legendary boxer shook up the world with his social commentary throughout the 60s and 70s.
‘What’s My Name’ is the first feature-length HBO production from LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Entertainment and LeBron described why he chose to get involved on a doc about Ali.
The legacy that Ali left behind should be told for generations and generations. It was never about him, he was actually thinking way beyond his life. He was thinking about the future of the world. It’s fascinating and captivating. All in one.
Through the use of archival footage and interviews, Fuqua allows Ali to be the narrator through the ups and downs of his own life.
Via Post Gazette
“It’s always easy, well, not easy, to have other people tell these stories about a person like Ali. It’s out there, it’s been done,” he said. “But to hear Ali, who was the best talker, tell you his journey, himself, from the way he saw it, I just felt there’s no better person.”
The doc is split into two parts that will air back-to-back on Tuesday May 14th. The first part chronicles a young Cassius Clay’s career up to his Fight of the Century title bout against Joe Frazier in 1971. Part 2 focuses on Ali’s rise to global superstardom and ends with his battle with Parkinson’s disease.
While there have been plenty of documentaries on Ali’s life Fuqua uses plenty of rare footage of interviews and fights that makes ‘What’s My Name’ feel fresh so even if you know Ali’s story there’s plenty of new content here to appreciate.
What’s My Name | Muhammad Ali debuts Tuesday, May 14 at 8 PM on HBO.