Lara set for Lauda movie

A German film star will play a leading role in an upcoming drama movie on rivalry between Formula One (F1) legends Niki Lauda and Briton James Hunt.

Showbiz magazines and online newspaper Romanian Times report today (Tues) that Alexandra Maria Lara will star alongside Daniel Brühl in the planned film which may be called “Rush.”

Lara, a German actress born in Romanian capital Bucharest, convinced film fans and critics with her performance in “Der Untergang” (Downfall), a drama film on the final days of Third Reich dictator Adolf Hitler. She also starred in “Control,” a biopic about late Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.

Brühl starred in a string of acclaimed movies like “Good Bye, Lenin!” and “Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei” before gaining international stardom for his performance in “Inglourious Basterds,” a World War Two (WWII) satire by wayward US director Quentin Tarantino. The German agreed to star as Lauda in “Rush,” according to the press. However, his agent recently denied reports that the assignment was sorted. “Talks about a participation in the film project are continuing,” he said.

Filming of “Rush” is allegedly set to start in Germany later this year. Ron Howard (“Backdraft,” “Apollo 13”) may direct the film while “Thor” star Chris Hemsworth is tipped to play Hunt who died in 1993. Peter Morgan – a British writer married to an Austrian – penned the script of the eagerly awaited movie.

The film will focus on the challenge between the racing car driver and his Austrian rival. Hunt won the F1 championship in 1976, a year motorsport fans mainly remember for a crash involving Lauda. The Vienna-born F1 pilot-turned businessman almost died when his Ferrari caught fire at the Nürburgring racing track near Bonn, Germany. He launched a comeback just six weeks later.