Looking at the sum of its parts, it’s reasonable to assume that Netflix was hoping Nyad would be one of its major hopes for potential awards season recognition when the annual circuit of back-slapping galas kicks off in earnest early next year.
After all, it marks the narrative directorial debut of Academy Award-winning Free Solo directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, stars four-time Oscar nominee and two-time Golden Globe winner Annette Bening in the title role, with support coming from two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster, all wrapped up in an inspiring and uplifting true story that saw 60 year-old Diana Nyad complete the first-ever unassisted swim from Cuba to Florida.
So far, so prestigious, but there’s been controversy lingering over Nyad’s achievements from both in and outside the swimming community, matters that were exacerbated by her own admission that she embellished her own accomplishments after revealing in an interview; “Am I embarrassed to have inflated my own record when my record is pretty good on its own? Yes, it makes me cringe.”
Guinness World Records even revoked her achievement because it was never formally ratified on account of a lack of independent observers and incomplete records, opening the door to much scrutiny. That hasn’t stopped it from finding critical acclaim or Netflix success, though, seeing as FlixPatrol has named Nyad as the fourth most-watched feature on the global charts after it swam right onto the Top 10 in 69 countries around the world in its first weekend of availability.