Denzel Washington has drawn comparisons between his character Whip in Flight, and the disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, as he continues the promotional build for what he hopes will be a crowning moment at the Oscars next month.

Washington is nominated in the best leading actor category at the Academy awards, which take place on February 24, 2013, and he was talking to members of the press, including the Daily Telegraph about his character, who successfully crashed landed a plane, only to register positive for having alcohol in his blood just moments after crashing. Armstrong, of course, has been found to have doped in each of his seven Tour De France wins between 1999 and 2005, and looks like being banned from his sport for life.

“I was watching this Lance Armstrong interview and, man, and talk about life imitating art. His interview is like the hearing scene [in Flight]” Washington exclaimed. Talking about Armstrong’s similar reactions, he commented “He’s wiggling and he’s crossing his legs and the jig is up … and he’s got Oprah on the other side of the room, and she’s saying ‘yes or no? yes or no? Did you or did you not?’ and he’s like ‘Well…’” Continuing, he added “Maybe Whip that had same kind of an ego on him and the same drive … just the fact he thought, well not thought could get away with it – he was getting away with it!”

Watch the trailer for Flight below.