Rugby star Ilona Maher is set to be the subject of a docuseries being developed by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, Ross Greenburg Productions and Range Sports.
Maher, who become a sensation after she led the U.S. women’s Rugby 7’s team to an Olympic medal in Paris last year, will produce and star in the series, which will follow her on the field and off as she navigates competing at the highest level, as well as adapting to international fame.
Since the Olympics, Maher has competed on Dancing with the Stars (where she was runner-up), was on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and launched a podcast with her sisters called House of Maher.
“I constantly feel like I have something to say,” says Maher. “I’m a female athlete in a sport that does not get the attention it deserves in the U.S. and yet I’ve been able to create this massive brand for myself through my own personality and authenticity. And I show a lot on social media but I don’t show everything and this is an opportunity for my fans, for the people who love me, to get to know me better and to get an inside look … cause shit gets crazy.”
Reese Witherspoon, Sara Rea and Cassie Lambert Scalettar will executive produce on behalf of Hello Sunshine alongside Ross Greenburg, who will executive produce on behalf of Ross Greenburg Productions.
Maher’s sister, Olivia Maher, and Rheann Engelke of Range Sports will also serve as EPs, and will also appear in the docuseries.
The series “follows Maher, one of the best rugby players in the world, as she makes the move to the 15s side of the game with the goal of competing with USA Rugby at the 2025 World Rugby Cup in England. But Maher’s journey quickly takes an unexpected turn. She moves to England to begin training with the Bristol Bears, a leading club in the Premiership Women’s Rugby League, before returning to the U.S. to pursue a spot on the national team,” per the logline.
“In between practices, Ilona travels the world for photo shoots and campaigns, seizing the business opportunities that followed her Olympic success—all while maintaining close family ties and growing her social media presence.”
Maher spoke to THR last year about competing on the field, and on Dancing with the Stars.
Sports docuseries continue to be one of the most popular genres in streaming and TV, with Netflix, ESPN, Prime Video and others all regularly acquiring or developing concepts. Hello Sunshine, meanwhile, has made women’s sports one of its focus points, producing the Netflix docuseries F1: The Academy, Women’s Sports Now for Roku Channel, and Prime Video’s Surf Girls Hawai’i.
“Ilona Maher is a force of nature, both on and off the field,” said Sara Rea, head of unscripted at Hello Sunshine. “Ilona shows unwavering resilience during the tough times and grounded authenticity while sitting on top of the world. She’s funny, witty, thoughtful, and unapologetic. Quite simply, she’s both relatable and extraordinary, and we are honored to tell her story.”
“From the moment Ilona Maher went viral last summer, it was clear that her athletic ability, charismatic presence and messaging are exceptional and inspirational. You know a star when you see one.” added Ross Greenburg.
