'I, Tonya' builds empathy for villainized Tonya Harding


Margot Robbie as  Tonya Harding at the 1994 Olympics in "I, Tonya."

In 1994, beloved figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed in the knees right before the Olympic games. Jeff Gillooly, the ex-husband of Kerrigan’s teammate (and competitor) Tonya Harding, confessed to hiring a hitman to sabotage Kerrigan. He spent 18 months in prison. But the real blame fell on Tonya Harding. The media painted her as a storybook villain from the wrong side of the tracks. She was banned from professional skating for life. That story is the subject of the new film “I, Tonya.”


Margot Robbie and director Craig Gillespie on the set of "I, Tonya." 
Photos courtesy of Neon and 30West.


Director  Craig Gillespie  at KCRW. Photo by Amy Ta.