Wilmer Valderrama
Actor Wilmer Valderrama attends the Photo Femmes Exhibition Opening at De Re Gallery, featuring the work of Ashley Noelle, Bojana Novakovic and Monroe, at De Re Gallery on April 13, 2016 in West Hollywood, California. Rochelle Brodin/Getty Images for De Re Gallery

In the 2012 London Olympics, Gabrielle “Gabby” Douglas conquered the world with her smile and of course, by becoming the first American to win the All-Around gold medal in gymnastics. And actor, director and producer Wilmer Valderrama was no exception; he too fell in love with the gymnast and her story, so he decided to turn it into a docu-series.

More than the past, the Valderrama’s show titled “Douglas Family Gold” follows Gabby’s hard-working journey to defend her title in the upcoming Rio Olympics. “The family was what drew me to it,” the actor told Fox News Latino.

Valderrama explained that, as a producer, it is important to find compelling stories to tell such as this family’s and find ideas that add diversity to an ever so lacking world. “I just thought ‘What an exciting opportunity to showcase a family that is relatable to all cultures [and] that we can relate to’,” he added.

He also explained that, not only did he find Gabby’s story inspiring, but her mom, Natalie Hawkins is also a force to be reckoned with. She is a single mother who was able to provide for her children and pushed them to pursue their dreams successfully. “To me it was a story that needed to be told,” Wilmer insisted. “This is a beautiful story and we should be a fly on the wall in this super historic moment in time.”

The series inevitably showcases the sacrifices and highlights the struggles the entire family has had to endure, including being apart, long days of training, and hard work from everyone as a team.

Gabby began training at only six years old, and moved away from her family to Des Moines, Iowa, to continue her training at age 14.

The docu-series just premiered on Wednesday, May 25, on Oxygen. Watch the fun trailer below.

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