John Singleton has always told gut-wrenching stories on film. The creator of Boyz N The Hood and Baby Boy, Singleton has decided to embark on sports for his new documentary, Marion Jones: Press Pause. Filmed for ESPN’s “30 for 30” series, the documentary examines embattled track star Marion Jones’ rise and fall from athletic grace. Singleton recently sat down with rolling out shortly after a private screening to discuss the documentary. –amir shaw
What attracted you to Marion Jones’ story?
It started when Marion first went to court. I would look at my daughter and we were both emotionally affected by it. I wondered why the media was doing this to Jones. ESPN approached me with the “30 for 30” idea and I told them we should talk about what’s happening with Marion. The story has evolved. When we met, I didn’t know about her plans for the future. Before this film, she did interviews and she felt that maybe she could … speak her mind.
Do you think gender played a role in her going to prison while male sports figures accused of the same thing haven’t?
Nothing is going to happen to any of those guys who face scrutiny over steroid use. There are various organizations that don’t want to open up a can of warms from what was legal or illegal in sports. There is only so much that you can do that natural talent doesn’t compensate for. No drug can make you superman or superwoman. With that being said, I think that they will go to [a] certain level with the other athletes and things will die down eventually.
What did Jones’ story teach you?
A great life is always evolving. The greatest gift that you can have in life is to have a positive effect on people. When you make a movie, you want to always leave the audience with a curiosity about the characters. I think this film gives viewers something greater to aspire to.
