J.J. Abrams confirms talks with Bradley Cooper over Lance Armstrong biopic role

Actor Bradley Cooper has reportedly been talking with producer J.J. Abrams about playing Lance Armstrong in an upcoming biopic after expressing interest in playing the disgraced cycling legend.

INFDaily

Abrams confirmed to ET on Saturday that he’s been in touch with The Hangover star since Cooper threw himself into the ring for the part last Tuesday.

Cooper told BBC News, in the wake of Armstrong’s confessional interview with Oprah Winfrey, that he thought the character was a “fascinating” role to play.

Armstrong admitted in his two-part sit-down with Winfrey to using performance-enhancing drugs during his seven Tour de France wins, for which the International Olympic Committee took his 2000 bronze medal.

“I remember thinking, that would be a great character, I’d love to play that character. I would love to do something, I think he's pretty fascinating,” he said.

The movie will be based on New York Times reporter Juliet Macur’s upcoming book, Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong, due out in June. So far, Paramount Pictures and Abrams’ production company, Bad Robot, have not announced any director, writer, actors or dates for the film, according to the Huffington Post.

It’s been a big couple of months for both parties. Cooper, People’s 2011 Sexiest Man Alive, has nabbed serious critical acclaim and an Oscar nod for his role in the rom-com Silver Linings Playbook with Jennifer Lawrence. He’s nominated for Male Actor in a Leading Role at tonight’s Screen Actors Guild awards.

Abrams, after revitalizing the Star Trek franchise with 2009’s reboot and its upcoming sequel (its trailer is here), was recently confirmed to direct yet another revitalized sci-fi epic, Star Wars.

Creator George Lucas gave Abrams, who created TV cult hits Lost, Alias and Felicity, his seal of approval on Star Wars’s official website.

“I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller,” George Lucas said. “He’s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film (Episode VII, set for a 2015 release) and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands.”