Brie Larson to Square Off With Steve Carell in ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Tennis Drama

Following her highly acclaimed role in Room, Brie Larson is continuing her winning streak with Battle of the Sexes. The actress will replace Emma Stone in the upcoming tennis drama that pits her against Steve Carell in the true story of the riveting tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

The Wrap reports that Larson has been cast in the role of real life tennis champ Billie Jean King, who was 29 years old when she squared off with the 55-year-old Riggs in a match known as the Battle of the Sexes. The film reunites Carell with Little Miss Sunshine directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who most recently directed the excellent indie dramedy Ruby Sparks.

Battle of the Sexes was scripted by Everest writer Simon Beaufoy and will be produced by Danny Boyle, and centers on the famous 1973 match between King and Riggs, which was the second in a series of three matches that pitted male and female players against one another. The King and Riggs match was nationally televised and offered a “winner takes all” prize of $100,000. Following his win in the first match against Margaret Court, Riggs took to taunting King and other female tennis players publicly and placed heavy bets on his match with King.

Both players staged elaborate entrances to the court and came bearing mocking gifts for one another — Riggs brought King a giant lollipop, and she gave him a piglet — and transformed the match into an exciting spectacle.

Larson recently appeared in the drama Room, which garnered critical acclaim following its premiere at TIFF. Up next, she appears opposite Tom Hiddleston in Kong: Skull Island.