Disgraced Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding will act as the center piece of a new project from writer-producer Steven Rogers (Kate & Leopold, Love the Coopers), and Deadline brings word that the budding feature has narrowed in on its leading lady.
Entitled I, Tonya, it is Suicide Squad actress Margot Robbie who has emerged as an early frontrunner to hit the ice as Harding, telling the true-life story of the athlete’s dramatic rise and equally dramatic fall from grace. Hailed as an ice princess who broke onto the scene from a troubled background, the shunned sportswoman made history after becoming the first American woman to complete the triple axel in major competitions in the early ’90s.
Only three years later, Harding become embroiled in a figure skating scandal after it emerged that, during the build-up to the Olympic events, Harding ordered a thug to viciously attack skating rival Nancy Kerrigan. Operating with the intent of breaking Kerrigan’s leg – and effectively scuppering her Olympic dream – as it happened the incident resulted in some mild bruising, and Kerrigan would eventually go on to outperform the scheming Harding at the Olympic events.
Later prosecuted for her actions, Deadline reveals that Rogers’ script is based on real interviews carried out with Tonya Harding along with her husband and literal partner-in-crime, Jeff Gillooly. Behind the scenes, Bryan Unkeless will produce via his Clubhouse Pictures, while Robbie is also set to produce I, Tonya.
Today’s news marks yet another project to add to the actress’ growing résumé, with roles in The Legend of Tarzan and David Ayer’s Suicide Squad in the pipeline for the summer.
