‘Backspot’ Director D.W. Waterson On Grueling Determination And Inspirations Behind Queer Cheerleading Film
D.W. Waterson’s cheer drama Backspot, also produced by Elliot Page under Page Boy Productions, aims to tell a more well-rounded and ambitious story about the seemingly glamorous but occupationally hazardous world of competitive cheerleading.
The film follows Riley (Devery Jacobs), an ambitious cheerleader hell-bent on perfection, as she, alongside her girlfriend (Kudakwashe Rutendo) and their best friend (Noa DiBertro), land highly competitive spots on a prestigious all-star cheerleading squad led by an overbearing head coach (Evan Rachel Wood) and her presiding assistant coach Thomas Antony Olajide).
The film acts as a multi-hyphenate social commentary on queerness, mental health and coming-of-age tale for young women in sports.
Here, Deadline talks to Waterson about executing the perfect shot, casting their star leads and cinematic inspirations. DEADLINE: What were some of the films that inspired Backspot? D.
