Here's the Actual Footage of the Moments You See in I, Tonya

With less than a week in theaters, I, Tonya is already an award season force to be reckoned with. Coming off a smashing box office opening, the film has already received three Golden Globe nominations and five Critics' Choice nods. It's an exceptional film in many ways: it bends cinematic rules by breaking the fourth wall, it boasts an electrifying soundtrack and dazzling performances . . . and it gives a beguiling spin on the most contentious scandal in US figure-skating history.

The question in a situation like this, of course, is how much of I, Tonya can we really trust? Well, if you look back on the news coverage and other footage from the time, it's pretty clear how closely the film attempts to hew to reality. So, pushing aside the moments that might contain a dash of creative license, these scenes seem to really bring the story to life in a fantastic and realistic way.

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The History-Making Triple Axel

In 1991, Harding competed in the US Figure Skating Championships in Minneapolis, MN. In this particular performance, Harding became the first US woman to ever land the coveted triple axel in competition.

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Naturally, I, Tonya pays special tribute to this monumental occasion. Perhaps what's so spot-on, though, is the aftermath of the jump. In the film, Margot Robbie perfectly catches that moment of wild elation when Harding can't help but celebrate and throw her arms toward the rafters in ecstasy.

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The Infamous Pink Outfit

At the Skate America competition in 1991, Harding wore a bright pink outfit that more than stood out to judges and spectators. Even though I, Tonya doesn't put a lot of emphasis on the routine at the particular occasion, it marks Harding's journey in a different way: it shows the unfair judgment she faced from the judges.

Tonya can be seen working on this particular outfit in a couple of scenes leading up to the competition. She's clearly putting a lot of work into it — sewing the whole outfit herself, paying special attention to design, and even asking for input. Sadly, this outfit is also part of the judge's tendency to view her as "white trash," since it's a flashy and not as refined outfit.

In the film's trailer, you can see how the moment plays out on screen. Tonya skates up to the judges, demanding a fair shot at a better score. When the judge says they also base their scores on "presentation," she spits out an acid retort: "Suck my d*ck."

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There's not necessarily a clip of this particular moment, but Tonya Harding herself has told the story before. She said a judge told her never to dress like that again, and she said, "You know what? If you can come up with $5,000 for a costume for me, then I won't have to make it. But until then, stay out of my face."

For the record, Harding didn't actually say "suck my d*ck" in real life. But she says she wishes she had.

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The Nancy Kerrigan Attack

I, Tonya doesn't pay much attention to Nancy Kerrigan's side of the story. In fact, her total onscreen time is probably less than five minutes. Even so, we do get to see the "whack heard 'round the world," as many have called it over the years. It's easy to see how much attention the film pays to detail. Even the way Nancy, played by Caitlin Carver, walks off the ice is uncannily like the news clip. And, of course, there's her iconic words, which she cries as a group of officials and medics swarms around her: "Why, why, why?"

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The Olympic Press Conference

At a crucial moment in the film, Tonya must divorce herself from Jeff Gillooly (played by Sebastian Stan), Shawn Eckhardt, and the whole plot to sabotage Nancy Kerrigan. Some of the things she says in this press conference in Portland, OR, were seemingly taken verbatim and placed in the screenplay.

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The Olympics Lacing Scandal

This is is perhaps one of the most expertly re-created moments in the entire film. On screen, we watch in sequence as Tonya frantically rushes out to the ice and ties her own skate while she glides into position. We see her break down less than a minute into her routine. And then we see her talk to the judges about her poorly tied skate.

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Everything seems to have been replicated in exceptional detail, from the progression of the scenes to the outfit Harding is wearing. Even the Olympic commentary is spot-on; the judges say, "In a situation like this, the referee and the judging panel will give her every opportunity to give her best performance," and "Things like this just don't happen!"