Casting Call: Cycle of Lies, The Fall of Lance Armstrong
In which we suggest who should star in the next big adaptation, remake, or historical film.
Lance Armstrong was once one of America’s favorite athletes, a source of national pride… but then, so was Tiger Woods.
Diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 25, Armstrong underwent chemotherapy, recovered, started a charity (LIVESTRONG) and a trend (rubber charity bracelets), and won the Tour de France seven years in a row. He hung out with presidents (well, George W. Bush) and dated starlets. The cyclist’s life story had everything Hollywood could want: perseverance, suffering, triumph, altruism, professional sports, and lots of attractive blonde women.
Then, in 2012, Armstrong finally admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. He was stripped of all of his titles, banned from competitive sports, and publically shamed. Not even an apologetic interview with Oprah could salvage his public image. Hollywood breathed a sigh of relief that they’d never gotten around to a Lance-the-hero film and began plotting Lance-the-villain instead. Armstrong’s life story was revised into a twisted tale of greed and corruption—which, somewhat callously, we much prefer to an underdog, weepy-happy sports movie.
The first Armstrong biopic heading into production comes from Paramount and J.J. Abrams, and will be based on the promisingly titled book, Cycle Of Lies: The Fall Of Lance Armstrong. According to current rumors, Bradley Cooper is the filmmaker’s first choice for the part of Armstrong. We’d like to offer them an alternative.
Casting Call runs every Friday. For more, click here.
