Filming is underway on Goolagong, ABC’s three-part scripted tribute to Australian tennis icon Evonne Goolagong Cawley, with cameras now rolling across key Victorian locations.
The limited series, slated for 2026 on ABC and ABC iview, is being filmed across Victoria on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri, Boonwurrung, Taungurung and Dja Dja Wurrung peoples. Goolagong and her husband Roger Cawley are serving as Associate Producers, with a clear focus on accuracy and cultural respect built into the production’s foundations.
Leading the cast is Lila McGuire, a Whadjuk and Ballardong Noongar woman making her screen breakthrough as Evonne. Marton Csokas plays coach Vic Edwards, with Felix Mallard as Roger Cawley and Luke Carroll also on board.
Goolagong tracks Evonne’s journey from a small town in New South Wales to the pinnacle of international tennis. The series will explore her relationship with Edwards, whose influence was both pivotal and fraught, alongside her marriage to Cawley, who became a stabilising figure in her life and career.
Commissioned by ABC and produced by Werner Film Productions, the miniseries has received backing from Screen Australia, with BBC Studios handling international distribution. The creative team has flagged a strong commitment to reflecting both the personal cost and public legacy of Goolagong’s success, particularly as a First Nations woman in a historically exclusive sport.
ABC Head of Scripted Rachel Okine has described the project as a major addition to the network’s drama slate saying “this is the story of a true sporting trailblazer whose resilience, humility and grace created a legacy that continues to reverberate around the globe.”
Goolagong will premiere on ABC and ABC iview in 2026.
