December 22, 2014
'Michael Sam' Documentary Airs on Oprah Network
EDGE READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Oprah Winfrey Network will air the exclusive documentary, "Michael Sam," on Saturday, December 27 (9-10:30 p.m. ET/PT). The 90-minute documentary follows the life of Michael Sam, who made history when he became the first openly gay football player drafted into the NFL.
Following the documentary special, Oprah Winfrey speaks exclusively with Michael Sam in his first television interview since being cut from the NFL on a special episode of "Oprah Prime" beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.
Michael Sam says, "The draft was the longest three days of my life. I went upstairs and then I was thinking, should I have came out? Did I make the right choice of coming out and telling the world I was gay? And then I'm looking outside, through the window, and I'm thinking that, and then I felt a hand all over my shoulder and that person was Vito. And in that moment I was like, I don't care what happens. I made the right choice to come out."
Partnering with Emmy-winning producer Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Studios and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Amy Rice ("Lindsay," "By The People: The Election of Barack Obama"), the OWN documentary "Michael Sam" follows the former University of Missouri college football star as he enters the world of professional football and vies for a spot on an NFL team.
Cameras get up close and personal with Michael as he openly discusses a childhood fraught with tragedy and poverty, as well as his emotional decision to come out as a gay man in the world of pro sports.
The documentary captures the moment when Michael was drafted by the St. Louis Rams, the intense media scrutiny that immediately followed, and Michael's struggle to stay focused despite the pressure and chaos. Additionally, the documentary explores Michael's relationship with his boyfriend Vito, and the challenge of balancing his personal life alongside his pursuit of NFL stardom.
"Michael Sam" is produced with OWN by Pilgrim Studios and is executive produced by Craig Piligian, Nicholas Caprio and Johnny Gould. Amy Rice, Ralph Wikke and Mitch Rosa are co-executive producers. Howard Bragman is a producer.
