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Hulu on Wednesday released a preview for the upcoming limited series Mike, which chronicles the life story of boxer Mike Tyson.
Trevante Rhodes plays Tyson in the eight-episode series, which also features Russell Hornsby as Don King, Harvey Keitel as Cus D’Amato and Laura Harrier as Robin Givens.
The preview, set to the song I’ve Gotta Be Me, features a montage of clips documenting Tyson’s rise as a boxer to his pinnacle of fame and fortune, his prison stint in his 1992 rape conviction and the 1997 incident in which he bit the ear of opponent Evander Holyfield.
The latest: Hulu on Wednesday released a preview for the upcoming limited series Mike, which chronicles the life story of boxer Mike Tyson, starring Trevante Rhodes in the titular role
A teaser in the preview reads, ‘You know Tyson, but do you know Mike?’
Showrunner Karin Gist told Entertainment Weekly that the series ‘is not meant to glorify his life’ but rather ‘dig deeper’ into the life of the athlete ‘that everyone thinks they know.
‘We were never trying to say that Mike Tyson is a hero or Mike Tyson is a villain. Our goal was to take a very complicated and controversial figure and try to get under the hood of what he was praised and vilified for while staying true to our North Star of ”no one person is one thing.”’
Gist told the outlet that ‘the show is not supposed to be a love letter or an indictment, which is why we had to include all the good, the bad, and the complexities of both,’ and that the contemporary cultural atmosphere allows for a candid looks into all aspects of Tyson’s life.
Rhodes is seen in the ring in a clip from the forthcoming series; Tyson was seen ahead of a bout in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1986
The limited series recreates Tyson’s infamous bite of opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear
Tyson was seen biting the boxer in the infamous incident in June of 1997
‘Fortunately, as a global society, we are all talking more and more about things that were once taboo or only whispered about among friends – rape, sexual assault, consent to name a few,’ Gist said. ‘Putting stories like this in the spotlight and pulling them out of the shadows is crucial to moving forward and getting the conversation to the next level.
‘The goal was not to shy away from the scary or uncomfortable parts of the story just because they are scary and uncomfortable.’
Creator Steven Rogers described Tyson’s life story to the outlet as ‘so compelling, contradictory, and complex,’ and ‘a cautionary tale of the American Dream.’
Rogers said in Tyson’s life, ‘You can find the roots of a lot of issues we’re grappling with today like #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, prison reform, mental health issues in it.’
A teaser in the preview reads, ‘You know Tyson, but do you know Mike?’
The boxer is seen in the series as he’s walking through a jail block following his 1992 rape conviction; Tyson was pictured as he was fingerprinted in Indianapolis in March of 1992 following his prison sentence
Gist said that the series will depict ‘all sides of [Tyson’s] life and the lives of the people around him,’ adding, ‘No one is just one thing,’ and ‘there’s more behind a sound bite or a headline or gossip.’
Gist said that in making the series, ‘We wanted people to see Mike’s own culpability in his life and society’s culpability as well’ and ‘to let our audience decide what they think and feel.’
Tyson in February condemned the upcoming series after it was announced in a statement on Instagram.
Harvey Keitel portrays Tyson’s trainer Cus D’Amato in the series, while Laura Harrier plays the role of his ex-wife Robin Givens
‘Hulu’s announcement to do an unauthorized mini-series of the Tyson story without compensation, although unfortunate, isn’t surprising,’ he said. ‘This announcement on the heels of social disparities in our country is a prime example of how Hulu’s corporate greed led to this tone-deaf cultural misappropriation of the Tyson life story.’
Hulu said in a statement that the series ‘explores the tumultuous ups and downs of Tyson’s boxing career and personal life – from being a beloved global athlete to a pariah and back again.
‘Focusing the lens on Mike Tyson, the series examines class in America, race in America, fame and the power of media, misogyny, the wealth divide, the promise of the American Dream and ultimately our own role in shaping Mike’s story.’
Mike is slated to premiere on Hulu August 25.
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