Director Joachim Rønning on the set of the biographical sports drama film 'Young Woman and the Sea' Photo from @joachimronning

Gertrude 'Trudy' Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel successfully on August 6, 1926. For context, that's a 21-mile journey from France to England for this 1924 Olympic Games gold medalist; it took her 14 hours and 31 minutes to achieve this feat on her second attempt, beating the records of the men who ventured into this cross-channel swim before her. A year before her successful English Channel crossing, she first attempted to make the crossing but was disqualified.

Trudy Ederle, played by Daisy Ridley (Star Wars), was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. The patriarchal society at the time presented challenges for Trudy, who struggled to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team. With childhood measles affecting her hearing, she didn't seem fit to swim but she rode the waves and made a splash anyway. It was also a time when men thought 'women are too weak to compete.' But with the support of her older sister and her trainers, she eventually made history in the world of sports.

Director Joachim Rønning and actress Daisy Ridley Photo from @joachimronning

Her remarkable journey was later documented in the 2009 non-fictional book Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World by Glenn Stout. Film and TV producer Jerry Bruckheimer acquired the rights to the book in November 2015. Years later, in December 2020, it was announced that Walt Disney Pictures was developing the film.

Finally, last May, the biographical sports drama film Young Woman and the Sea was released in the US. And now, this July 19, it will be released on Disney+.

With the Paris 2024 Olympics coming up, the timing couldn't have been more perfect for a newfound appreciation for athletes like Trudy, who contributed to the world of sports, ultimately paving the way for women in sports today, especially in swimming.

Young Woman and the Sea also stars Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Christopher Eccleston, and Glenn Fleshler. It is directed by Joachim Rønning and written by Jeff Nathanson, based on Glenn Stout's book. The producers are Jerry Bruckheimer, Chad Oman, and Jeff Nathanson, with John G. Scotti, Daisy Ridley, and Joachim Rønning serving as executive producers.

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In an exclusive interview with Metro.Style, director Joachim Rønning一who is known for films like Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil一shared with us his initial thoughts about Young Woman and the Sea.

He also talked about what it was like shooting another water-based film, what makes Trudy Ederle's story worth telling today, and what it was like working with actress Daisy Ridley whom he commended for 'giving such life to Trudy (and swimming for miles in 60 degree water until your lips turned blue).'

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What were your initial thoughts when you found out about this project?

'That it was a remarkable story, and I was so surprised that I haven't heard about it before; nobody had really heard this story. You know, that was so significant a hundred years ago and still resonates today. So for me, it had everything I looked for in a story, in a movie, you know. It was emotional, it was dramatic, it was scary, it was funny. So for me, I just felt so lucky to find it.'

The life story of Trudy Ederle is really timeless and her achievement also, but what makes this story worth telling now?

'Well, I think it's interesting. It's always important to know your history and where you're coming from and, you know, tell the story about the people that made a big difference in our history. At the same time, I think there [are] still struggles going on and there [are] still things that are not fair, you know, even in sports today. So I think it is important to be reminded that it hasn't always been what it is today and at the same time, I don't think the fight is all over either. So I think, you know, to tell Trudy's story is important.'

What was challenging for you on the technical aspect of directing a film like this? You've done water-based films before but what makes it different this time around?

'Well, making a movie is always a challenge (laughs). But what was important for me, I think [it] was to do this, as you say, you know, real for real, out on the water, having Daisy Ridley actually going in the water. It was hard and that always creates a challenge when you're in the elements and you have so many moving pieces literally. And it was freezing waters and she went in everyday until her lips were blue and never complained, just like [she] was asking: 'Do you want one more? Do you want one more?,' and I was just floored by that. If you take away all the challenges that it is to film on water, her contribution was invaluable.'

What is about Daisy’s acting that made you want to work with her?

'Well, I think that besides being a great actor obviously, she has a strength to her that I was looking for because that's the strength I was imagining Trudy had a hundred years ago. It just takes so much determination and strength to swim the [English] Channel in the first place. So I was looking for that in an actor, and we were so lucky to get Daisy Ridley for that. I think she ticked all of my boxes and she proved it on a daily basis.'

Watch director Joachim Rønning's Metro Talks interview below:

Catch Young Woman and the Sea on Disney+ this July 19.

Transcribed by Leigh Sofia Lazo

Lead photos from Disney+ and @joachimronning