"Citizen Ashe": Documentary highlighting Arthur Ashe's activism and accomplishments coming soon

Variety announced that Dogwoof films will carry anticipated Arthur Ashe biopic “Citizen Ashe” to distribution, where it will debut debut on both CNN Films and HBO Max in 2022.

Sam Pollard and Rex Miller will co-direct the first-person documentary that aims to take a deeper look into what Ashe endured to become a three-time major champion, and his fight against social injustices in the United States and in South Africa.

Ashe, who passed away of AIDS-related complications in 1993, became the first Black man to win the US Open, Wimbledon and the Australian Open. His victory in New York was poignantly set against the backdrop of the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.

“Citizen Ashe” will include interviews from fellow tennis legends like Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Donald Dell, and Lenny Simpson. Ashe's widow, Jeanne Moutousammy, and his brother Johnnie will also appear in the film.

“Our film is a first-person exploration of Arthur Ashe in his own words, describing his own origin story as a social activist. He created a unique blueprint for advancing civil rights for disenfranchised and oppressed people throughout the world, amid a tumultuous time of demonstrations and assassinations. Citizen Ashe shows a true champion’s defining moments,” co-director Miller told the Hollywood Reporter.