Despite the saying, no one is truly a success “overnight.” It takes a lot of work and perseverance to make it, and the journey of some of the biggest stars in music, movies, television, and sports will be revealed in Becoming. In the upcoming Disney+ series (from Executive Producer LeBron James), viewers will learn how stars like Nick Cannon, Ashley Tisdale, and Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks finally made their dreams a reality. “I do believe it was my path to end up playing basketball,” says Candace in the trailer for the show, released on Aug. 18, before pointing out the obvious: “I mean, I’m 6’4.”
Becoming will also showcase the stories behind comedian Nick Kroll, NFL champion Rob Gronkowski, Dancing with the Stars’ pro Julianne Hough, singer Colbie Caillat, NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, entertainer Adam Devine, and Stranger Things’ Caleb McLaughlin. The show promises to go back to these superstars’ roots – “I love coming back home to where it all started,” says Gronk as he revisits his old high school – and what they had to overcome to make it. “I knew that along the way, I was going to fail constantly,” said Nick Kroll, and Adam recounts the childhood accident that made him doubt if he would “ever walk again.”
As for any advice on how the next W/NBA, NFL, music, or TV star can achieve a similar level of success? “Be yourself,” says Anthony Davis in the trailer. “Whatever your passion is, go out and be the best you can be at it.”
The 10-episode documentary-style series, “shot in vérité,” according to the press release accompanying the trailer, will arrive on Sept. 18. Each episode “centers around a visit to the celebrity’s hometown, touring important locations central to their upbringing. A supporting cast of family members, coaches, teachers, mentors, and friends are interviewed, sharing rarely heard anecdotes and insights into the star’s ‘becoming’ story.”
While Nick Cannon was mentioned as one of the subjects covered by Becoming, he had a considerably diminished presence in the trailer. This was likely a result of the anti-Semitic comments he made during a July episode of his YouTube series/podcast, Cannon’s Class. Nick was fired by ViacomCBS over the comments. After a back and forth online, he ultimately apologized for his words. “I extend my deepest and most sincere apologies to my Jewish sisters and brothers for the hurtful and divisive words that came out of my mouth,” he said. “I want to assure my Jewish friends, new and old, that this is only the beginning of my education. I am committed to deeper connections, more profound learning, and strengthening the bond between our two cultures today and every day going forward.”