Bradley Cooper - Bradley Cooper Eager For Role In Baz Luhrmann's Gatsby

The Hangover hunk is eyeing the part of millionaire Tom Buchanan in the retelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, insisting the bigoted aristocrat is the book's "best character".

But Cooper doubts he'll be on Luhrmann's list of potential stars for the role, and admits the Moulin Rouge! moviemaker will probably laugh off his efforts to get noticed.

He says, "To me, he's (Buchanan) the best character in the book. He's so complicated. He's xenophobic, he's an alcoholic, but he also understands some profound stuff about class. Whoever plays it has to take a gentle hand, because it could so easily be stock, where he’s a rich jerk you don't identify with at all.

"I don't even know if I'm on Luhrmann's radar. Maybe he'll read this article after the role's cast and say, ‘Oh. Ha. Yeah, that guy was never going to get it.'"

Leonardo DiCaprio has been cast in the lead role of Jay Gatsby, while Carey Mulligan will play Daisy Buchanan.