TOM CRUISE TO PLAY ICON HUGH HEFNER

Hugh Hefner with Rita Cosby and 'The Girls Next Door'

Tom Cruise is set to play Hugh Hefner in a new biopic of the Playboy founder's life.The 45-year-old actor, who has an 18-month-old daughter Suri with his actress wife Katie Holmes, is hot favorite to portray the 81-year-old lothario in upcoming movie 'Playboy' and is reportedly excited about the prospect of bringing Hefner's "colorful life" to the big screen.A source close to the actor said: "Tom knows of Hugh's colorful past and thinks he would be the perfect person to bring it to the big screen."He also thinks the role would be a challenge for him, and would remind people of his versatility as an actor. At the moment people are concentrating on his personal life, and his marriage to Katie - but he wants to remind them that he can act too."A spokesperson for the star has refused to confirm whether he has accepted the part.They said: "A lot of people consider Tom for a lot of roles."Leonardo DiCaprio - a frequent visitor to Hugh's famous Playboy mansion in Los Angeles - has also been linked to the role.'X-Men 3' director Brett Ratner has reportedly signed on to direct the film.

Photo By: James Edstrom