Crowe Courted for Boxing Movie

October 17 -- Acting heavyweight Russell Crowe has been offered the lead role in The Cinderella Man, playing real-life heavyweight boxing champ Jim Braddock, Variety reports.Braddock gained the nickname "Cinderella Man" after he rose from obscurity to defeat Max Baer in a grueling, 15-round battle in 1935

At one point, Ben Affleck was rumored to play the underdog boxer, with Billy Bob Thornton directing. Now Swedish-born Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules) will direct for Universal, in a likely co-production with Miramax films.Crowe, who won a Best Actor Oscar for his man-of-action lead role in Gladiator, next stars as mathematician John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, which debuts in selected cities on Dec. 26.

The actor's agency says he has not yet committed to any new roles, and refused to confirm his casting in the boxing pic to Variety. The Aussie-bred actor announced plans to make his debut as a screenwriter, director, and producer with the WWII picture The Long Green Shore, about Australia's participation in the war.