Sports
David Beckham: ‘I hated almost every moment of making’ Emmy award-winning Netflix documentary
Soccer legend David Beckham’s Emmy award-winning Netflix documentary, “Beckham,” took fans around the globe behind the curtain for one of the most polarizing athletes of the century.
But Beckham himself revealed to Variety that he “hated almost every moment of making it.”
“It worried me and it made me nervous and it made Victoria nervous,” Beckham said about the documentary, which was broken down into four parts last year.
David Beckham “hated almost every moment of making” the documentary. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
“It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I was going to make it, but there were a few reasons why we wanted to make it. When I retired, I wasn’t ready to talk about my career and what had happened. Through the pandemic, it’s when documentaries really exploded, and it was coming up to the 10-year anniversary of my retirement from football.”
Beckham did have his Studio 99 produce the documentary, which got deep into his personal life with his wife and family as well as his legendary soccer career, starting at Manchester United and ending with Paris Saint-Germain in 2013. And of course, his international games with England were on display as well.
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But the four-part series dove deep into his trials and tribulations, both personally and professionally, which required “the right director” to portray, and Beckham ended up choosing Fisher Stevens to do so.
Variety spoke to Stevens, who said Leonardo DiCaprio recommended him for the director role.
But Beckham wasn’t looking for someone that would sugarcoat his life’s journey up to that point. He wanted someone unequivocally raw.
“When I met Fisher, I knew this is the man that will make me feel really uncomfortable and I knew I had to feel uncomfortable to make the documentary we made,” said Beckham.
So, the hatred that he felt wasn’t because he didn’t like the finished product. It was the material, reflecting on tough personal moments and reliving his most traumatizing times on the pitch that made him and his family nervous.
The four-part series dove deep into Beckham’s trials and tribulations. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Some, however, did criticize the lack of content regarding Beckham’s rumored affair with his former assistant Rebecca Loos, who, in April 2004, alleged that she and him had a four-month affair during his time playing for Real Madrid. Beckham would go on to say the rumors were “ludicrous,” but there is still doubt in some camps that was the case.
But, for this documentary, Beckham said he did not see the finished product until it was released.
“Through the whole documentary, from Day One I said, ‘I don’t want to see anything until it comes out,’” he said regarding his influence on Stevens’ work. “I didn’t go into the edit. I didn’t see any cuts. I wanted to let Fisher have that control. It took quite a bit of convincing to get him on board.”
In the end, both Beckham and his wife “loved the results,” and the documentary being critically acclaimed shows how well it was received.
Both Beckham and his wife “loved the results” of the documentary. (JONATHAN BRADY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Beckham’s Studio 99 has an untitled documentary in the works with Netflix that focuses on Victoria’s life as well.
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If the Super Bowl marks the end of the NFL season, WrestleMania is when WWE’s year is over.
There is no offseason in WWE, and when waves of departures hit the company, it hits harder than a Gunther knife-edge chop.
Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross appear during SmackDown at First Horizon Center in Savannah, Ga., on May 23, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Fightful and BodySlam both reported several superstars who left WWE on Friday ahead of “Friday Night SmackDown.” Some wrestlers confirmed their departures on social media.
Those who left included: Alba Fyre, Aleister Black, Alex Shelley, Andre Chase, Apollo Crews, Bo Dallas, Chris Island, Chris Sabin, Dante Chen, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Kairi Sane, Luca Crusifino, Malik Blade, Nikki Cross, Santos Escobar, Sirena Linton, Trill London, Tyra Mae Steele, Tyriek Igwe, Tyson Dupont, Zelina Vegas and Zoey Stark.
The WWE roster is loaded as it is with several NXT stars getting called up this week.
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Sol Ruca made her presence felt on Raw on Monday when she challenged women’s champion Liv Morgan. The Fatal Influence faction of Jacy Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley took aim at the women’s tag team division on SmackDown on Friday. Ricky Saints and Blake Monroe also had vignettes for their upcoming appearances.
Meanwhile, former NXT champion Oba Femi has been on main WWE programming for the last few weeks and beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42.
Kairi Sane enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on April 13, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega make their way to the ring during SmackDown at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 3, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)
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It’s not the end of the road for any of the recent departures. Several former WWE stars have made waves elsewhere. Some have even returned over the course of time.
Pitching coach Gus Rico was having dinner on Thursday when head coach Matt Mowry of Birmingham High complimented him on closer Aidan Martinez recording all seven of his outs on strikeouts.
“I had no idea,” Rico said. “Everything is a blur when I’m calling pitches.”
Martinez is throwing some blurs these days after returning this season following Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He touched 92 mph with his fastball and has been improving each week, getting better command and walking fewer batters. He has 28 strikeouts in 15 innings and three saves.
Birmingham is one game behind El Camino Real in the West Valley League standings going into showdown week, playing El Camino Real on Wednesday at on the road and Friday at home. The Patriots need a sweep to have a chance at their first league title under Mowry, who prefers winning City titles.
With Martinez throwing so well, it would be a good strategy for opposing teams to make sure they are leading going into the last two innings.
“He’s got a bright future,” Rico said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
Shortly after the Wolverines captured the program’s first title since 1989, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. announced he would enter the NBA Draft.
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Johnson has maintained his NCAA eligibility throughout the process. However, he has until May 27 to withdraw if he plans to return for his junior season.
Johnson played for Illinois during the 2024-25 season before transferring to Michigan last offseason.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. walks on the court against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)
After joining Michigan, Johnson quickly emerged as a key contributor, averaging the second-most points on the team. He also led the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.
Michigan head coach Dusty May eventually dubbed Johnson “The Enforcer” and “Junkyard Dog,” a nod to his tenacity on the defensive end. Johnson was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team.
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But Johnson’s offensive prowess didn’t take a back seat to his defensive strengths. His shooting from beyond the 3-point line showed improvement as the season progressed.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the 2026 NCAA national championship game in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Many early NBA projections gave Johnson a first-round grade. It’s unclear how much name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation he would command if he returns to Michigan or transfers elsewhere.
Johnson has been active on social media, interacting with teammates as they consider returning to Michigan for another championship push.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after scoring in the second half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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Michigan added a key piece this week, with Jalen Reed transferring from LSU, On3 reported. Reed was limited during the 2025-26 season by an Achilles injury.
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