Dawn Fraser once said of this biopic about her: "Everyone knows about Dawn Fraser, the Olympic champion. There are press cuttings three feet thick. But this film is also about part of my life the public knows nothing about...It's all true. There is no glossing over anything, and doubtless some people may be surprised at some aspects of my personal life".
Joy Cavill first talked to Dawn Fraser about making this feature film about her three years before the movie was first released, around 1975/1976,
1600 women were interviewed for the lead role of playing Dawn Fraser in this film in a search which was conducted over a six month period. Seven finalists were short-listed for screen-tests and the successful applicant was Bronwyn Mackay-Payne.
Dawn Fraser once said of the auditioning process for this film: "I admit when I saw the screen tests of the seven finalists for the role, I did not know who to choose. Then I saw the swimming tests, and it had to be Bronwyn [Bronwyn Mackay-Payne]. She had strength, and looked as if she wasn't afraid of falling into the pool. She looked good in the water, and I knew I could make a swimmer of her. We had almost three months together, so that I could get her to walk, talk, and swim like me".
The production shoot for this film went for ten weeks.