Te’o was a high calibre student in the school, she is well-liked by his peers, and on track to receive a complete scholarship from the University of Notre Dame. He was a leader of the team in her native Hawaii, engaged in his church, and social life.
Then, a tragedy happened. First his girlfriend died, then his grandma. on the same day, both. But his girlfriend wasn’t really killed as his fiancée didn’t even exist. The person behind the scam was caught in the middle and it was always a catfish.
A new two-part documentary named Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist, by Ryan Duffy and Tony Vainuku, about Te’o, Tuiasosopo, and the elaborate 2013 deception, premiered on Netflix on Tuesday.
Who Plays The Key Role In Both Eisodes
The story of Te’o and his pretend lover is well-known, but Tuiasosopo invented the character as a means of overcoming her own gender dysphoria lesser known by public. Since, Tuiasosopo has recognized that she is transsexual.
Though spectators instantly know Te’o, documentary begins with Tuiasosopo character. She plays a significant role in all episodes and taking viewers along on her journey of gender identity and self-discovery as they partly influenced by Te’o catfishing experiences.
Maclain Way discussed how the team handled depicting Tuiasosopo and Te’o’s travels as both simultaneous and different. Maclain Way and his brother Chapman both are the makers of the famous television series Untold.
Why Did You Choose To Focus On Manti Te’o And Naya’s Story?
The story was on our actual and symbolic whiteboard of sports story ideas when we learned that we would be able to produce one more and that there will be a volume two. My brother and I remember it well that it is a kind of reading the news on it and it’s just been a white whale in the sports documentary.
We got in touch with Naya, and we just had an amazing talk with her for two hours even though the conversation was only supposed to last 15, 20, or 30 minutes as earlier.
Then, in terms of getting in touch with Manti and speaking with him, I am convinced that many individuals had approached him throughout the years about sharing this tale. Over the years, I believe he had a build-up of biopic pitch demands in his mail drop.
Here Are Some Remarkable Moments Of Manti Te’o
We caught Manti at a pivotal moment in his life, in my opinion. His time in the NFL was approaching an end, and it is unlikely that he would have stated on this topic or showed a lengthy, in-depth dialogue while he was still playing.
He had only recently married and given birth, and I believe that neither Naya nor Manti were really pleased with how the general public was informed about this story in 2013. They didn’t want the media attention to be the period at the conclusion of this incredibly long sentence that was a tale about these two people, in my opinion.
I believe that both of them found the opportunity to talk about this story in-depth and at long to be interesting. As a filmmaker, they finally felt that they have something unique here. I believe we can move on with the documentary further.
The fact that you chose to start the tale with Naya and just mentioned that you actually spoke to her first stands out to me even though this is a story about Manti. But many people might anticipate that the episodes would be more football-oriented.
Why Did You Decide To Focus On Her And Tell Her Tale First By Leading With Her?
We as filmmaker’s kind of had the most questions about it. Naya had made small media appearances, such as on the Dr. Phil programme, but she had never really gone on the record and provided her full perspective. I’ve always been curious in the individuals who participate in catfishing.
Naya told her story honestly and openly while also being extremely vulnerable. We found her reasons for occupying this space, creating this online identity profile, DMing and messaging a football player like Manti Te’o, developing a connection, and having phone calls to be incredibly fascinating, and I believe that was the main reason we were interested in speaking with her.
Why She Felt That Her Portion Of The Tale Was What Really Drew Me In
Yes, I agree, and I also believe that we don’t really have a mandate or a preference for forcing these stories into defined overarching thematic bridges connecting all of our “Untold” documentaries. But in a way, I do believe that none of our documentaries.
Despite the fact that they are sports documentaries, really have anything to do with who will win the championship game or who will make the game-winning three-pointer as the clock runs down for their team.
In reality, we discuss these tales as just highly fascinating events occurring off-ice, off-court, or off-field. It just seemed right for this story, a massive catfishing controversy from 2013.
Yes, it’s a sports story, and to some extent it’s a football story, but really it’s a story about two people who, to us, were the only two people who knew what those conversations were, what their relationship was like, and how they felt about one another.
I believe they were 19 or 20 years old when they started this relationship. Because I believe that’s really the only way you can tell this type of tale, having both of them speak about it was for us just a really big requirement.
The Way Naya Described Her Journey Of Self-Identification And Self-Discovery
This documentary devotes a significant amount of time to Naya’s transition process, and I am aware that you made it clear that Manti and some of the interviewees may not have been aware of Naya’s gender identity. You also displayed some earlier images and video taken before she underwent the change. I am aware that many people can find certain topics to be sensitive at times.
How did you choose to handle it in the two episodes, especially for a viewership that might not be as knowledgeable about LGBTQ+ issues and transgender identity? The subtle point, in my opinion, is that these documentaries take a long time simply because they are their own art forms, and it took us more than two years to produce a two-part documentary.
She now identifies as a proud trans woman, and we are extremely supportive of this. However, she was somewhat advancing in her trip when we were making this documentary. Therefore, after talking with her, our team, and individuals with extensive knowledge of LGBT issues.
Anything Unusual In The Story That Hadn’t Anticipated?
we basically came to the conclusion that it wasn’t really our responsibility as filmmakers to inform others about the difficult trip she was taking. We definitely would be in a different place if the documentary started today, given where Naya is at, but back then, Naya wasn’t quite there.
Did anything catch you off guard while you were all conducting the study and reporting process? Naya and Manti were unquestionably our primary storytellers, but when you meet more people and learn about their unique viewpoints and experiences with the narrative, we did found Tim Burke’s and Jack Dickey’s inquiry into the tale to be really fascinating.
Obviously, they are the ones who received the tip and were the first to break the story and press publish, but learning about the inner workings of an investigative journalist was just incredibly interesting.
These all seem to have a beginning and an end, where you select your primary storytellers and then consider potential replacements for their voices. The Deadspin men could have quite fascinating voices, in our opinion.
Get Aware About The Behind The Scene Story
If they hadn’t chosen to follow up on that anonymous tip they had, perhaps no one would actually be aware of this story. As a result, they appeared to have a direct bearing on the plot, certain plot elements, and the course of the story.
You might name this principle in the episodes of Lineage. Manti and Naya, especially in the second episode, focus on setting an example for others who will follow them. I believe that in the manner they discussed it, it simply felt meaningful and sincere. We conducted multiple full day interviews lasting two to three days with each of Naya and Manti.
And during that process, it’s a different approach to talk to individuals and hear their tales, but I believe you can tell what is important to them and how they truly feel on a human level. And I believe that both of them, when they discussed that and that meaning, spoke from the heart.
The interview responses you receive from your subjects are therefore, for us as artists and filmmakers, kind of like a guiding light and a star in some ways that inspires you to include them in your documentary film.
Faqs
Manti Te’o Is Still A Member Of The Bears?
Te’o’s NFL career starts with the San Diego Chargers, thereafter he has played for the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints. As per the Deseret News, Te’o is still an unknown agent.
What Job Does Manti Te’o Hold?
In gridiron football, the position of linebacker is played. Linebackers, who are on the defensive team, are positioned three to five yards behind the defensive linemen and the line of scrimmage.
Where Football Player Manti Te’o Plays?
Te’o’s NFL career launches with the San Diego Chargers, even though he has since played for the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints and have great records.