Daniel Radcliffe 'To Play Sebastian Coe In Movie About Steve Ovett Rivalry

Daniel Radcliffe is to set aside his wizarding wand in favour of running shoes as the star has been confirmed to take on the role of Lord Sebastian Coe in movie 'Gold' it has been reported.

The actor will be playing the Olympic gold medalist in a film depicting the legendary rivalry between British middle distance runners Coe and Steve Ovett during the early eighties, according to Screen Daily.

Radcliffe gets swamped by fans at the London Film Festival (Photo: WENN)

The movie is based on the book The Perfect Distance by former Times journalist Pat Butcher and will centre around the build up to the 1980s Olympic games, where the pair battled for gold in both the 1,500m and 800m with each winning in their favoured event. Coe's defeat of Ovett in the 1,500m caused quite the uproar as he'd been undefeated in the distance for three years and 45 races.

Ovett though went on to win the gold in Coe's favoured race the 800m in what became an iconic moment in British Olympic history.

According to the report the screenplay will be written by Will Davies and Simon Beaufoy, who were the Oscar winning team behind 2008's Slumdog Millionaire.

Lord Sebastian Coe is reportedly to be played by Daniel Radcliffe in new movie (WENN)

Lord Coe went on to mastermind London's successful bid for the London 2012 Olympic Games and oversaw the running of the event last Summer, in which JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter featured in the opening ceremony.

Since leaving Harry Potter behind, Radcliffe has chosen quite different roles from that of the wizarding teen. As well as the lead in The Woman In Black and poet Allen Ginsburg in his latest role in Kill Your Darlings.

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