Dwayne Johnson Announces Portia Woodman-Wickliffe Documentary

Hollywood superstar Dwayne Johnson announced his Seven Bucks Productions company is developing Undeniable: Portia Woodman, a documentary profiling former Black Ferns wing and global rugby star Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, celebrating her pioneering athletic career and cultural impact.

Dwayne Johnson Announces Undeniable: Portia Woodman

Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson revealed new details regarding an upcoming documentary on former Black Ferns star Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, describing her as the greatest women’s rugby player of all time. Johnson announced that his company, Seven Bucks Productions—which he co-founded with Dany Garcia—will run the production based on the Kiwi sports icon in a Facebook post.

A Deadline story attached to the post revealed the name of the documentary as Undeniable: Portia Woodman. The project was initially brought up by Johnson during June on the blue carpet of the Moana special screening in Sydney, when Jenni Mortimer from the Herald asked him to name his ultimate rugby player of all time. The actor, who spent part of his childhood in Auckland and played rugby as a child, immediately pointed to Woodman-Wickliffe. Portia, I mean … come on, he said, before adding, We’re doing a documentary on her. Johnson was ushered into the event before providing further details, though Woodman-Wickliffe also attended the premiere.

“Portia Woodman-Wickliffe is THE straight up GOAT bad ass who leads with grit, heart and pride – she’s not only an icon in sports, but an iconic beacon of pride for our Polynesian culture as well.”

Dwayne Johnson, via Stuff

Production Partners and Creative Team

The documentary will involve New Zealand-based Pango Productions working alongside Seven Bucks Productions. The documentary will be directed by Zoë McIntoch, who directed a documentary about Kiwi MMA fighter Israel Adesanya in 2023.

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe near the try line. Photo / Photosport — Photo: Nzherald

The film will follow Woodman-Wickliffe as she balances fame and injuries carrying the weight of her culture on her back and rising to the occasion in a way only a true warrior could.

Dwayne Johnson Announces Portia Woodman-Wickliffe Documentary — Photo: Rugbypass.com

“Rugby is built on legacy, identity, resilience and pride, which are exactly the kinds of stories we want to bring to audiences at Seven Bucks Productions.”

Dany Garcia, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Seven Bucks Productions

Garcia added that Woodman-Wickliffe is “simply one of the greatest rugby players of all time and has fundamentally changed the trajectory of women’s rugby, representing the strength, discipline and cultural reverence that make her story so powerful, and we are honoured to showcase her in Undeniable: Portia Woodman.”

A Decorated Career on the Global Rugby Stage

Woodman-Wickliffe is celebrated internationally as a towering figure in women’s rugby, boasting an impressive journey with the Black Ferns and cementing her status as a truly international icon of the sport. During her playing career, she earned an extraordinary collection of titles and honours:

Two Olympic gold medals
Two Women’s Rugby World Cups
Two Rugby World Cup Sevens titles
A Commonwealth Games gold medal
Honoured with the World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year award in both sevens and 15-a-side competition
Named in the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Decade

Cultural Resonance and Personal Leadership

Having lived in New Zealand and playing rugby as a kid, Johnson shared that he had followed Woodman-Wickliffe’s career for years, stating he was pumped and proud that his production company had secured the opportunity to make the film. He stressed that her achievements extended beyond sporting success into profound personal qualities.

“To achieve superstardom and greatness at anything is very rare, but to achieve them all while remaining a good human being, who leads with kindness, respect and mana, that’s even rarer and that’s the magic of life. To me, the kindness, respect and mana part is the stuff that matters most. What a story. Can’t wait to tell it.”

Dwayne Johnson, via NZ Herald

While Johnson’s latest post and announcements shed more light on the project and those involved, no release date or further production details have been announced.

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