Trans Advocates Protest Daily Wire Production in Nashville

As film extras filed into Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium Wednesday morning, they were met with protesters. The movie, which appears to have the working title Coach Miracle, is a production of The Daily Wire, a Nashville-based far-right media group, and seemingly mocks transgender people in sports. 

While extras signed nondisclosure agreements, two agreed to speak with the Scene on the condition of anonymity. They tell the Scene they signed up for what was advertised as a sports comedy film through Aud615, a local casting organization. On Tuesday, some began to put the pieces together, after reading a post from Tennessee Holler. 

Clara — an assumed name we’ll use to refer to one of the extras — says that during a break from filming, several actors voiced their objections and were “screaming” about Daily Wire’s involvement with the film before being escorted out of the building.

“It was fun,” she says. “We were getting to pretend we're watching a basketball game, but then after the outburst, you could kind of feel the whole energy in the place change.”

A basketball team depicted in the film is called the Lady Ballers and includes eight young girls and four grown men — some of whom were portrayed by local college basketball players. 

“The day before those men had been dressed up with wigs and fake boobs and everything,” Clara says. She adds that after some extras noted their objections, certain costume elements and props — such as wigs and a sign reading “Baller Pride” with a trans flag — were removed in what she says appeared to be an effort to downplay or hide the content or plot of the film.

John, a transgender man who spoke with the Scene under a pseudonym, says he sat next to fans of The Daily Wire who had heard about the filming and traveled to Nashville from Michigan and Wisconsin. He joined on Tuesday, but those who had been there Monday filled him in.

“They started handing out props, and I saw a bunch of trans pride posters, and all of these people were laughing at them,” says John. “They’re like, ‘It’s men dressed as women trying to compete in this Olympic-style tournament.’” He immediately went to confirm the premise of the film with a security guard on site, who he says told him “it’s a spoof on transgenders in sports.” 

The pay started at $150 a day in cash — a number that eventually was raised to $200, and later $300, as confirmed by email correspondence between casting recruiters and extras. Recruiter emails also sought people who would dress in drag as a “visual gag,” though would not include practicing drag queens.  

Clara was not familiar with The Daily Wire, and the organization’s name was buried in the contract, but she did some personal research about the reported content of the film and its backing organization. She decided not to take part in the production any longer, noting that she’s a supporter of the LGBTQ community.

“I was devastated,” she says. “The minute I even thought that that could be what I was participating in, I was sick to my stomach. I wanted to just bawl my eyes out, because I would never willingly or knowingly participate in something like that or support it.”

The Daily Wire moved its headquarters to Nashville in 2020. Its commentators have already impacted state policy, with the outlet’s far-right media personality Matt Walsh leading an anti-trans rally in the fall, which was followed by the state banning gender-affirming care for minors in Tennessee. Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s pediatric transgender clinic ceased operations, while the law (set to go into effect July 1) has been challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee and the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Representatives for the Municipal Auditorium declined to comment. Belmont University, which was initially slated to host some filming, ended up canceling it. 

“This event will no longer occur on campus because the production company has not fulfilled the requirements or provided the details that would have been necessary for us to proceed,” a university spokesperson says in an emailed statement. 

Aud615 tells the Scene in a statement that they were only provided the title of the “PG-13 sports comedy film” and not the script — which is common. 

“We were asked to provide the paid filming opportunities this week to our member base and we did,” says Aud615 in a statement. “We have fulfilled our agreement by advertising the opportunity. Aud615 is a casting company. Movie subjects, content, theme and events do not necessarily reflect the audience service’s beliefs or opinions.”

More protests are planned for Thursday and Friday.