True Spirit starring Teagan Croft release date, trailer, synopsis, cast, and more

Titans actress Teagan Croft stars as the adventurous Australian sailor Jessica Watson in the upcoming Netflix True Spirit, based on Watson’s book of the same name that she wrote documenting her experience.

On October 18, 2009, 16-year-old Jessica ventured into the ocean from Sydney, Australia, to attempt to become the first person to complete a solo global circumnavigation without assistance. She returned on May 15, 2010, just a few days shy of her 17th birthday.

Although Jessica’s ultimate distance did not quite reach the 21,600 nautical miles required to achieve her record-breaking goal, Jessica was still awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia and included in the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame.

The miraculous real story will be brought to the silver screen in the upcoming Netflix drama film, which sees Croft play Watson. She’ll be joined by Academy Award-winning actress Anna Paquin, Josh Lawson, and more.

True Spirit went into production in 2021 and was initially planned to release earlier, but the pandemic caused some delays.

True Spirit release date

True Spirit will be released on Friday, February 3, 2023.

True Spirit cast

Teagan Croft nabbed the lead in this film as Jessica Watson. Anna Paquin and Josh Lawson play her parents, while Cliff Curtis has been cast as her mentor, Ben Bryant.

True Spirit is directed by the award-winning filmmaker Sarah Spillane, best known for her 2013 film Around the Block starring Christina Ricci. Spillane also co-wrote the True Spirit script alongside Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger writer/director Cathy Randall.

Here is the cast list:

• Teagan Croft as Jessica Watson
• Anna Paquin as Jessica’s mom, Julie Watson
• Josh Lawson as Jessica’s dad, Roger Watson
• Cliff Curtis as Jessica’s coach and mentor, Ben Bryant
• Bridget Webb as Jessica’s older sister, Emily Watson
• Vivien Turner as Jessica’s younger sister, Hannah Watson
• Stacy Clausen as Jessica’s younger brother, Tom Watson
• Todd Lascance as Craig Atherton

True Spirit synopsis

Based on a true story and the book by Jessica Watson, True Spirit is about a determined teen who follows her dreams of becoming the first person to sail around the world on her own without help.

Read the official synopsis, courtesy of Netflix:

"When the tenacious young sailor Jessica Watson (Teagan Croft) sets out to be the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world, many expect her to fail. With the support of her sailing coach and mentor Ben Bryant (Cliff Curtis) and her parents (Josh Lawson and Academy Award winner Anna Paquin), Jessica is determined to accomplish what was thought to be impossible, navigating some of the world’s most challenging stretches of ocean over the course of 210 days."

True Spirit trailer

True Spirit photos

Get your first look at Teagan Croft as Jessica Watson, Anna Paquin as her mother, and more in the first-look photos for the movie.

True Spirit releases on February 3, 2023, on Netflix. Add the film to your Netflix watchlist right now.