Millie Bobby Brown to play Olympic legend Kerri Strug in ‘Perfect’

Millie Bobby Brown is preparing for life after Stranger Things with a role that could define her career. The Emmy-nominated actress is in final negotiations to star as Olympic gold medal gymnast Kerri Strug in Perfect, a sports drama directed by Gia Coppola. According to Deadline, Netflix is currently in discussions to acquire the project.

The film tells the story of Strug, a member of the 1996 USA women’s gymnastics team famously known as the ‘Magnificent Seven.’ Strug cemented her place in Olympic history when she landed a vault despite competing on a severely injured ankle, helping her team secure gold. The image of her collapsing after the landing, only to be carried off by her coach, became one of the defining moments of the Atlanta Games.

Perfect is written by Ronnie Sandahl, who also worked on Borg vs McEnroe. Brown will also serve as a producer through her PMCA banner. Lead producers include Nik Bower for Riverstone Pictures and Thomas Benski for Magna Studios. Production is expected to begin next spring.

Brown’s casting marks her most ambitious dramatic turn yet, following her successful Enola Holmes franchise and upcoming Netflix feature Just Picture It. With Perfect, she follows a similar path to Margot Robbie’s acclaimed transformation in I, Tonya, taking on a real-life sports icon whose story combines triumph, injury, and resilience.

Director Gia Coppola brings her own pedigree to the project, having directed Palo Alto and Mainstream, as well as her most recent film The Last Showgirl, which earned Pamela Anderson a Golden Globe nomination. Coppola is expected to bring a grounded yet cinematic approach to Strug’s journey, balancing the spectacle of competition with the emotional weight of an athlete’s sacrifice.

The timing of the project coincides with the end of Stranger Things, which will release its fifth and final season across three volumes beginning this Thanksgiving. For Brown, the move symbolises her transition from breakout teen star to leading actress in awards-driven films. As anticipation builds, Perfect is already being described as one of the most high-profile sports dramas in development, with Netflix likely to position it as a major contender on release.