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Anyone hoping to portray U.S. women's national team icon Brandi Chastain on the big screen has some incredibly large shoes to fill.
The 57-year-old retired soccer star did, after all, net the championship-clinching penalty kick in Team USA's 1999 Women's World Cup triumph over Team China, then famously whipped off her jersey in celebration—a legendary moment that produced one of the most iconic and groundbreaking sports images in history. On top of that, she is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, an inductee into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and a co-founder of the NWSL's Bay FC, as though scoring the defining goal on the sport's grandest stage wasn't already an extraordinary enough legacy.
Fortunately, Julia McDermott is more than ready to take on the role.
The 28-year-old actress will portray Chastain in the upcoming Netflix film The 99'ers, which tells the captivating story of the 1990s U.S. women's national soccer team and its remarkable victory in the 1999 World Cup Final. The win—which represented the American side's second championship—marked a turning point for the sport while also reshaping and elevating the identity of the U.S. women's team. Joining McDermott in the production, which recently wrapped filming, are Emily Bader as Mia Hamm; Emilia Jones as Julie Foudy; Zoey Deutch as U.S. women's soccer executive Marla Messing; and Alessandro Nivola as head coach Tony DiCicco, among others.
"The level of research and respect they're bringing to this project—they want to make the greatest sports film ever," Chastain said of the cast and crew in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, arranged through her partnership with Friskies. "And we're telling them they can, you know, why not? Why [can't] this be the greatest sports movie ever made?"
"I think they're approaching this project with an enormous amount of passion, respect, and responsibility, and the conversations we've had—whether by phone, FaceTime, or text—have been absolutely wonderful."
To keep the film grounded in authenticity, Chastain said she shared certain personal and mindset-related details with McDermott, giving the Juilliard-trained actress enough insight to capture the spirit and perspective of the then-30-year-old soccer player.
"Back in those days, you had to carry your own cleats and your own jerseys and everything, and I'd never put any of that on until I stepped across the threshold into the locker room," Chastain told SI. "That's where I had this kind of transformative moment. I want [McDermott] to enter that space with the same [mindset]. Like, I can enjoy myself in both places, but when I cross that line, I'm there."
"She really appreciated that," Chastain continued, "and she said, 'OK, thank you for letting me in on what that moment meant to you and how to feel about [it].' You're not just strolling into the locker room thinking, 'Whatever!' you know? No, we have a job to do. So I really valued that she was eager to understand those details."
The two also connected before the crew filmed the crucial penalty kick scene just a few weeks ago, a moment in the film that both McDermott and Chastain would naturally hold close to their hearts.
"I couldn't be there, but Mia was. I think Joy was there too. Julia FaceTimed me beforehand and said, 'OK, it's happening, we're going to do it,' and I told her, 'You've got this, no problem," Chastain said. "You were born to do this.' It was really pretty special."
A release date has yet to be announced, though audiences might anticipate something timed around the 2027 Women's World Cup next summer—which would certainly be fitting. In the meantime, the stars of the 1999 squad continue to stay in close touch through their group chat, which Chastain confirmed (1) absolutely exists and (2) is extremely active.
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"Every single day. It's hilarious," she said about how often she and her former teammates communicate. "This week, we've been sharing old photos of ourselves."
"It's a really fun group."
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Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2024, she reported on political news, sports, and culture at TheWeek.com before transitioning to Livingetc, an interior design publication. She holds a degree from Syracuse University, with dual majors in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing management (from the Whitman School of Management). In her spare time, she enjoys going to the cinema, reading, and cheering on the Steelers.