Sebastian Stan Joins the Tonya Harding Movie We Now Can't Wait to See
Once again, Nancy Kerrigan is getting the shaft. The story of Team Tonya Harding's infamous 1994 attack on rival figure skater Kerrigan seems like it could be Lifetime fodder, but instead it's going to be an increasingly awesome-sounding "edgy comedy" starring Margot Robbie as Tonya -- there's an ego boost for you! -- with Sebastian Stan newly announced to play Tonya's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly.
Deadline shared the Stan scoop, adding that "I, Tonya," aims to "expose the absurd, tragic and hilarious story-behind-the-story of one of sports' most infamous scandals." It's also meant to be pretty sympathetic to Harding, or at least more sympathetic than the real-time media coverage of the mid-'90s.
It was eventually revealed that Gillooly (that's him above) and Harding's bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt hired Shane Stant to break Kerrigan's leg so she couldn't compete in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. Gillooly was sentenced to two years in prison for racketeering, Deadline reports, with the judge determining he was the "driving force" in the plot.
This could be juicy, but also too campy if they really go full-on with the comedy angle. It will require a delicate balance, but it's a very good sign that they've managed to attract Robbie and now Stan. (Since we're going full superhero with the casting, why not aim for Jennifer Lawrence to play Kerrigan?)
Deadline said Miramax secured U.S. distribution rights, and production gets underway in January. We will now start searching for the perfect giant scrunchie to wear when the movie opens.
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