A recent report from Empire has claimed director J.J. Abrams is in talks with Bradley Cooper about taking on the lead role in Abrams’ upcoming Lance Armstrong biopic.
As we reported last week, J.J. Abrams have acquired the screen rights for Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong, a biography about the fallen athlete by author Juliet Macur. Oddly enough, the book hasn’t even been published — but that hasn’t stopped the likes of J.J. Abrams and business partner Bryan Burke from jumpstarting the project, or even pursuing a leading man in Bradley Cooper.
“[Cooper] sent me an email and we’ve been talking,” Abrams said in an interview with ET.
Bradley Cooper expressed his own interest in Lance Armstrong in an interview with BBC News earlier this month.
“I think he’s fascinating,” Cooper said. “What a fascinating character.”
Bradley Cooper is easily one of the most marketable and admired names in Hollywood today. Following his success in 2009’s unforgettable farce The Hangover, the actor has gone on to play Face in The A-Team, a hapless writer turned ultra-success in 2011’s Limitless, earned his place in the heavily anticipated The Place Beyond the Pines, and even an Oscar nomination for his leading role in Silver Linings Playbook. Playing Lance Armstrong could be yet another accomplishment on an already impressive list for Bradley Cooper.
With this amount of momentum already happening for J.J. Abrams, it’s difficult to see it stopping anytime soon. It will not be at all surprising if other big names join Bradley Cooper for an astounding cast. Abrams’ name is garnering lots of attention with his appointment for the new Star Wars film, publicity that is both attractive and well earned. Hopefully he’ll be able to keep it up.
