Diana Nyad’s real life trainer says Jodie Foster nailed the role: ‘I thought it was me’
Bonnie Stoll is not a woman who’s easy to fool – but Jodie Foster pulled it off.
The Oscar winning actress plays the former racquetball champion in Nyad, the story of endurance-swimmer Diana Nyad who aged 60 decided to re-attempt the punishing 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida which eluded her in her youth.
(L-R) Foster and Annette Bening. Pic: Kimberley French/Netflix
Stoll, who was both Nyad’s best friend and professional trainer, tells Sky News: “The first time I saw [the film], I definitely thought it was me…
“It’s surreal and unbelievable and a real tribute to this actor. I mean, she did it. It surprises me almost every time I see the movie and I see it quite a bit. I think it’s me up there.”
Foster, 60, is reported to have completely immersed herself in Stoll’s way of life: training, nutrition, supplements, workouts, everything.
Quickly noting Stoll’s “salt of the earth quality,” she described her as “the kind of person you’d want to be in a storm with”. Which is lucky, because the movie has several storms to get through.
Annette Bening too – who plays Nyad in the film – trained for over a year to get into peak physical condition for the role, which of course demanded prolonged stretches of swimming.
World class actors, meeting a world class athletes and making a movie together. It’s a recipe that Netflix will be hoping might be a hit with the critics.
The movie re-creates some of the most challenging moments of the real-life crossing, which was completed without the use of a shark-cage, despite the risk of predator infested waters.
Bening trained for the role for over a year. Pic: Kimberley French/Netflix
But it was not sharks that turned out to be the biggest problem.
Stoll explained the biggest threat to their success came from deadly box jellyfish.
“We did not expect them. We had no idea they were already in the Gulf. But it was not a pleasant surprise… It was kind of a nightmare.”
She explains how Dr Angel Yanagihara, a bio-medical researcher considered to be one of the world’s pre-eminent experts in box jellyfish, helped them overcome the potentially fatal sticking point by helping design a mask.
However, that came at a cost.
“Diana was getting prosthetic for her face, the mask, so the box couldn’t get in. And then we heard about a box getting into someone’s mouth and they swallowed it. And that was not a good result.
“The swimming in that mask was a nightmare, for me especially. I can’t even look at it. It’s claustrophobic.”
Bening and Foster pictured on set alongside their real-life characters. Pic: Kimberley French/Netflix
The film’s director, Chai Vasarhelyi says they replicated everything Diana wore down to the last detail: “It was that authentic. The same suit that Diana wore, the same goggles, everything”.
And while they had two silicone face masks made for Bening to wear, Vasarhelyi admitted: “It was so painful we cut out the mouthpiece”.
It’s a move Stoll approved of, echoing: “Good, good”.
Vasarhelyi worked with her husband, professional climber, skier, filmmaker and photographer Jimmy Chin on the film, and the couple have two young children together.
She explained: “It was a really good way of keeping the family together all in one spot and who knew that you can grow in your forties? That you can grow after 12 years of marriage?”
The couple’s past films together include The Rescue (the rescue of 12 boys and their coach from a flooded cave in Northern Thailand) and Free Solo (an Oscar-winning portrait of rock climber Alex Honnold).
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Vasarhelyi summed up their unique area of interest as, “stories about humans who push the possibility”.
And proving that working with your partner isn’t necessarily the recipe for disaster that many might assume, she joked: “We were such old news, you know, me and him. But suddenly, like, we just got stronger. We got better. We saw what each other does even more clearly. And the kids had a great time.”
She added: “It ultimately caused some real deep changes afterwards about how we went, the way we work together.”
It seems the Nyad magic – that propelled the film’s real-life protagonist to wake up one day aged 60 and decide she wasn’t done – has rubbed off on its director.
And that is just the sparkle Netflix will be hoping makes its way into voters’ hearts come awards season.
Nyad is streaming now on Netflix.
Snoop Dogg says he hopes to set up a burger van at Celtic’s stadium and wants to serve fans himself.
The US rapper, 53, has described the football club’s supporters as “special” and the best fans in European football.
And Snoop, who played Glasgow‘s OVO Hydro arena in 2023, has also said he strongly identifies with the club’s mascot Hoopy the Hound.
He said a fast-food van at Celtic Park would become a foodie “Paradise” which is a nickname for the ground in the Parkhead area of the city.
Celtic Park. Pic: AP
Snoop told the Sunday Mail: “I would love to bring a pop-up burger [van] to a sports stadium to show fans that food at stadiums can be good.
“It’s got to be Celtic Park, man. The secret to a good burger is the love in the preparation. The ground beef has got to be mixed with some secret spices, then add a good quality cheese and some maple-cured bacon.
“The Celtic fans are gonna love it, and to make sure they are just right, Snoop is going to be serving them himself.”
But he said he would not be taking his culinary ventures to Rangers – Celtic’s Old Firm rivals at Ibrox.
The Drop It Like It’s Hot star told the paper: “Am I going to bring my burgers to Rangers as well? Nah, I think we will give that a miss.”
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The musician has previously spoken of investing in Celtic, similar to Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds’s involvement with Wrexham FC.
Snoop has already published a cookbook and claims to have spoken to chef Gordon Ramsay about a possible venture in Glasgow together.
The keen sports fan worked as a correspondent for NBC at the Paris Olympics last year, and has launched two youth football leagues, as well as being a vocal advocate for pay equality for female athletes.
Entertainment
Sir Rod Stewart ‘devastated’ after cancelling more US concerts as he recovers from flu
Sir Rod Stewart says he is devastated to have to cancel a series of US concerts, blaming lingering flu for the decision.
It affects four shows in Nevada, along with a further two in California, which he plans to reschedule.
They were due to take place over the next eight days.
“So sorry my friends. I’m devastated and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans. I’ll be back on stage and will see you soon,” he wrote in a message on Instagram.
Sir Rod, 80, has been struggling to recover from flu and this week had already cancelled two concerts at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.
On Wednesday, he disclosed that his doctor had “ordered” him to take “a bit more rest”.
The star is in the midst of his epic One Last Time Tour.
Sir Rod, who was recently put on vocal rest, is due to play the legends slot at Glastonbury later this month.
In May, he was presented with a lifetime achievement award at the American Music Awards (AMAs).
Sir Rod performing at the 2025 American Music Awards in Las Vegas. Pic: Reuters
In a sign of how seriously the singer takes his health, last month he was also spotted in Italy attempting to avoid conversations to preserve his voice.
He wore a message attached to a lanyard which read: “Sorry. Cannot talk. Having vocal rest.”
In 2024, he promised he would not retire but confirmed his 2025 European and North American shows would bring an end to his “large-scale world tours”.
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The performer, best known for songs including Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?, Every Beat Of My Heart, and Maggie May, said he plans to focus on more intimate venues instead.
Sir Rod has faced other health challenges in the past.
In May 2000, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had surgery. In 2017, he underwent successful treatment for prostate cancer.
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