LONDON -- LONDON (AP) — American actor Ben Foster is cycling into the lead as Lance Armstrong in a new movie about the disgraced American cyclist.


Director Stephen Frears said filming started Wednesday on the untitled project, and Foster is already proving to be a champion in the saddle.


Frears claims Foster is a "really, really good actor and now he's a very good cyclist. The cyclists were pleased with him."


The movie follows the rise of Armstrong, his cancer battle, retirement and exposure by journalist David Walsh.


Irish star Chris O'Dowd plays Walsh, with Guillaume Canet and Jesse Plemons in supporting roles.


Frears says Armstrong is endlessly complex and there could be many more films made about him. He spoke at Wednesday's London Film Festival gala for his latest movie, "Philomena," staring Judi Dench.



Earlier on HuffPost:




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  • Matthew McConaughey


    McConaughey has been on a career renaissance of late (the McConaissance, as he told HuffPost Entertainment), and this is the type of juicy leading role that could get him an Oscar. Since he's friends with Armstrong, however, maybe put the odds of this happening at Infinity-to-1.




  • Jake Gyllenhaal


    It almost happened once before ...




  • Jeremy Renner


    Squint and these two could play brothers.




  • Ryan Gosling


    Every movie benefits from more Gosling.




  • Sam Worthington


    In case Jeremy Renner is too expensive.




  • Joseph Gordon-Levitt


    Because he starred in "Premium Rush." (See, also: The bike behind him.)




  • Tom Cruise


    Both Cruise and Armstrong weathered career low points opposite Oprah Winfrey.




  • Jared Leto


    Remember when Leto played Steve Prefontaine? He just needs to grow his eyebrows back.




  • Damian Lewis


    Because Lewis is used to playing guys everyone hates.




  • Christian Bale


    Bale won an Oscar for playing a drug addict in "The Fighter"; imagine what he could do with Armstrong's sordid PED history.




  • Kevin Bacon


    Kevin Bacon can put his "Quicksilver" skills to good use!




  • Rob Lowe


    Picture him with a buzz cut. They kind of look alike?




  • Daniel Day-Lewis


    Day-Lewis is so versatile, he could play Armstrong <em>and</em> the bike.