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Katie Piper wants Reese Witherspoon to play her in movie biopic

Katie Piper wants Reese Witherspoon to play her in the movie about her life. (David M. Benett/Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
Katie Piper wants Reese Witherspoon to play her in the movie about her life. (David M. Benett/Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

Katie Piper's life story is set to make it to the big screen for an "empowering" movie biopic, with the star suggesting Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon could be the perfect person to play her.

The 37-year-old activist and presenter told the Mirror that an adaptation of her autobiography Beautiful is beginning to move forward, four years after she sold the rights.

Read more: Katie Piper reveals she has some empathy for online trolls

“These productions can sometimes take years, especially in a COVID world,” said Piper, revealing she has spent hours on Zoom calls with the screenwriter.

She added: “But it is happening and I can’t wait. I would love Reese Witherspoon to play me. She would be perfect.”

Watch: Katie Piper shares 10-year challenge post

Piper said she has had to go through lots of old material from her past to ensure "factual accuracy", as well as reliving aspects of the 2008 acid attack which left her with serious facial scarring.

She added: “The way everyone came to know me was through a news story, but I think there’s an opportunity for it to be something very new in this new culture — this Me Too culture, the Time’s Up culture.

“Obviously my story does involve violence against women but I think it could be very empowering for a female audience.”

Read more: Piper shares post-attack photo for World Mental Health Day

Piper was attacked with sulphuric acid by Stefan Sylvestre on the orders of her ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch, both of whom were jailed for their involvement in the assault.

Sylvestere was released from prison in 2018 after serving nine years of a life sentence.

Katie Piper has bravely spoken out about the attack which left her with severe facial scarring and forced her to undergo multiple surgeries. (David M. Benett/Getty Images for MCH STUDIO)
Katie Piper has bravely spoken out about the attack which left her with severe facial scarring and forced her to undergo multiple surgeries. (David M. Benett/Getty Images for MCH STUDIO)

Lynch had previously raped Piper, who waived her automatic right to anonymity in order to speak out about the attack.

She has since become an activist advocating on behalf of burns victims and those with facial disfigurement, establishing the Katie Piper Foundation in 2009.

Piper has also embarked on a career in television and was announced as a new regular panellist on Loose Women in July of this year, after several guest appearances.

Read more: Katie Piper reveals relief after eye surgery

On Friday, she penned an emotional statement on social media in the wake of cruel trolling about her face posted during an appearance on Sky News.

She wrote: "When someone writes something so awful and offensive about someone who is burnt or disfigured like me in the public eye, it makes those with visible differences at home not want to leave the house, like I never used to.

"Seeing someone like me being trolled will only make them regress further. If it's happening to me, why wouldn't it happen to them?

"You should always learn someone's story and you should never judge someone without knowing that they've been through. You shouldn't judge them regardless, no matter what they look like."

Read more: Piper found Strictly "overwhelming" after attacker's release

Piper has taken part in several documentaries for TV since she was attacked, including the Bafta-nominated Katie: My Beautiful Face for Channel 4 in 2009, which attracted more than three million viewers.

She also competed on the 2018 series of Strictly Come Dancing, with professional partner Gorka Marquez.

Watch: Katie Piper arrives at the NTAs in 2020