Exclusive: Director Lauren Stowell talks HBO's Celtics City docuseries
Currently airing on Max is HBO Original nine-part documentary series CELTICS CITY, directed by Emmy-winner Lauren Stowell (“Taquarius Wair: Unstoppable”), executive produced by Bill Simmons and Connor Schell, and co-executive produced and showrun by Gabe Honig.
The series debuted MONDAY, MARCH 3 on HBO and will be available to stream on Max, with new episodes debuting weekly through April 28.
Celtics City chronicles the remarkable saga of the Boston Celtics, the NBA’s winningest and most storied franchise, from its founding as one of the league’s original teams all the way to its triumphant 2024 championship – along the way delving into the fierce rivalries, defining moments, and societal forces that have shaped the organization’s enduring legacy.
Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and over 80 interviews with past and present Boston Celtics legends – from Bob Cousy and Larry Bird to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – the series captures the scope of the team’s influence, weaving together the personalities, battles, tragedies, and triumphs that have defined the franchise across more than seven decades of American history.
Moving between past and present, each episode of the series examines not just the many eras of the franchise’s history, but also rivalries with the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and others; the relationships and loyalty shared by teammates; and the weight and expectations that come with carrying on a tradition that transcends the game. The series also explores the Celtics’ significance in the ever-changing landscape of Boston – a city with a complex social history impacted by racial tensions that the Celtics, led by figures like Bill Russell, confronted head-on.
Stowell is a four-time National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications award recipient, a three-time National Association of Black Journalists Excellence award recipient, a three-time New York Festivals Gold Medal recipient, a two-time Russ Catlin Motorsports Journalism award amongst other distinctions.
Blackfilmandtv.com’s Wilson Morales talks to Stowell on directing Celtics City and her research into the Boston Celtics.