Rachael Denhollander, a survivor of sexual predator and pedophile Larry Nassar, will soon have her story told on the big screen. The lawyer, advocate, and former gymnast’s 2019 memoir, “What Is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics,” has been optioned by game1, a studio concentrating on sports-related content. According to Deadline, Janine Eser will pen the screenplay.
In 2016 Denhollander became the first woman to speak out against Nassar, who served as a physician for the USA Gymnastics Team and at Michigan State University. She revealed Nassar sexually assaulted her when she was 15 and sought his treatment for back pain.
Over 300 women followed suit — many of them Olympic medalists — sharing their own stories of abuse perpetrated by Nassar. He was eventually sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on charges of child pornography and tampering with evidence. He was further sentenced to 40-175 years in Michigan State prison for seven counts of sexual assault of minors in Ingham County, and another 40-125 years for three counts of sexual assault in Eaton County.
Denhollander asked, “How much is a little girl worth?” in courtroom testimony requesting judges set the maximum possible sentence for Nassar.
Per her bio, Denhollander “helped trigger a complete upheaval at both USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, where former executives and high-ranking officials face numerous criminal charges for their complicity in covering up Nassar’s abuse and lying about what they knew. Instrumental in helping secure a record-setting $500 million settlement with Michigan State University for Nassar survivors in 2018, she continues to act as a fiduciary representing her fellow survivors in USA Gymnastics’ ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.”
Denhollander will executive produce the adaptation of “What Is a Girl Worth?” with game1’s Beverly Nuako and Therese Andrews.
“The real story of the Nassar case isn’t what happened in the court room – it’s how we got there,” Denhollander stated. “It’s the story of what survivors face every day, the cost of speaking up, and all the times the miracle almost didn’t happen. It’s the story of what happens when each person chooses what is right, over and over again, no matter the cost, and [how] those choices come together and change the world.”
Nuako, who is also game1’s Vice President of Development, added, “We are honored to partner with Rachael on such an important project. Her relentless pursuit of justice is an inspiration. We are also privileged to have Janine Eser’s thoughtful approach and vision to adapt this extraordinary book. It can’t be overstated how critically important it is to represent the hardships that many brave women endured as an effort to challenge a pervasive culture of silence.”
The USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal, as it has come to be known, is also the subject of documentaries “At the Heart of Gold” and “Athlete A.” Erin Lee Carr (“Mommy Dead and Dearest”) helmed the former, and “Audrie & Daisy” directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk the latter.
Eser previously adapted Trevor Noah’s bestselling memoir “Born a Crime.” The film is currently in development, with Lupita Nyong’o set to star.
