Naomi Osaka in contention to win Oscar as an executive producer

Sunday, 14 August 2022 at 21:30

Updated at Tuesday, 01 October 2024 at 04:52

byJordan Reynolds

Naomi Osaka's reach beyond tennis has been shown by her being in contention for an Oscar for her work on a documentary.

The four-time Grand Slam champion has endured a rough year on the court. After a rough first half of 2022, she split from her coach, Wim Fissette, before the North American hardcourt season.

Osaka's luck got worse in her last appearance at the Canadian Open. She was forced to retire from her match against Kaia Kanepi in the second set after struggling with back pains since the start of the contest.

Unexpectedly, Osaka's biggest success so far this year is her involvement in a short documentary called "Mink!" The 24-year-old served as an executive producer on the project, which was released in June.

The documentary tells the story of Patsy Takemoto Mink, a Hawaii politician who became the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming a trailblazer and an inspiration for others.

Mink famously co-authored the Title IX legislation that prohibited discrimination based on sex in schools that received federal funding, making her mark as a champion for social justice in the process.

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It has been rumored that Osaka and others involved in the project could be in the running for an Oscar, although that has yet to be confirmed. Mink is an impressive documentary that undoubtedly could win an Oscar.

Osaka posted on social media about how honored she was to work on the project when it was about to come out in June, saying Mink's story resonates with people.

"Honored to work with Oscar-winning director @bgproudfoot for Hana Kuma’s first project. Patsy’s story resonates as a Japanese woman of color growing up in the US while advocating for change. She leveled the playing field for women athletes to be the legends they are today."

"Patsy was the first woman of color in Congress, a Japanese-American woman, and I was immediately inspired by her story. Without Patsy, there is no Naomi Osaka or legions of other female athletes who got a chance because of her work.”