Bring me a Lance

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You knew it was inevitable. A Lance Armstrong biopic is on its way, and thanks to the passage of time and a little bit of image-altering news, the J.J. Abrams-produced film is being based on Juliet Macur’s impending biography Cycle Of Lies: The Fall Of Lance Armstrong. So which actors are best suited and brave enough to personify the world’s reigning disappointment?

Jake Gyllenhaal and Matthew McConaughey would not be bad picks, except both were famously chummy—and (former?) riding buddies with the disgraced cyclist. So who else might we see lying to the world and wearing all that yellow? Five suggestions are below:

Several years ago, Damon was locked in to portraying a more, ahem, heroic version of Armstrong on film, but that movie suffered financial setbacks. Still, the Good Will Hunting star narrated a documentary about the Tour de France winner and, even at the age of 42, could slim up a bit and “live strong.”

Based on a quip Abrams made a few days ago, the Hangover star could be the new frontrunner after sending an email inquiry directly to the producer. One email may be all it takes to sew this thing up. Cooper is a hot commodity in Hollywood having finally shown his range and potential as a leading man with the heavily Oscar-nominated Silver Linings Playbook.

A really solid pick if this film wants to follow Armstrong’s youth, rise and fall. This still trim and baby-faced 31 year-old has incredible charisma and likeability, something Armstrong showed in real life—until that Oprah interview. Gordon-Levitt recently starred in and handled his own stunts in the bike messenger thriller Premium Rush, so he’s nearly a pro on two wheels already.

For the way Gosling has shown he can shift from a loveable everyman to a scary intense specialist in his roles, the Drive star would be one to handle the duality and cool-natured complexity of Armstrong’s years-long doping scheme. On the downside, with the first round of Ryan-in-Spandex publicity stills, the tsunami of “Hey, girl” memes might melt down the Internet.

The oldest candidate in this batch, Eckhart is himself a fitness fanatic who bares a striking resemblance to Armstrong. Though not a proven leading man at the box office, Eckhart has been stellar in everything from Erin Brokovich, Thank You For Smoking, and a little indie called The Dark Knight. Besides, Armstrong’s story itself is the draw here. How famous does the actor portraying him need to be?

That said, I’d add in some long shots like Sam Worthington (the budget saver), Brad Pitt (the money grab) and even Daniel Craig. It may sound crazy to put James Bond on a bike in yellow Spandex, but for some reason I think he could pull it off. Who would you like to see play Armstrong?

Watch Gordon-Levitt discuss his cycling training for Premium Rush below: