Ryan Phillippe is in final negotiations for the lead role in ABC's upcoming drama Secrets & Lies, reports Deadline Hollywood. Based on an Australian series of the same name, Secrets & Lies involves a man (Phillippe) who is falsely accused of murdering a child. With his family and livelihood at stake, the protagonist has no other option but to find the boy's killer.
Phillippe is best known for his film carrer, including leads in Cruel Intentions and 54, but recently starred in a season of Damages with Glenn Close. One of Phillippe's earliest roles was on ABC's soap opera One Life to Live, portraying gay teenager Billy Douglas. Douglas is considered the first gay teenager on a daytime soap opera. Of that role, Phillippe said, "As much as you can write off how silly the entertainment industry can be, it can affect change and make people see things differently. That's beautiful."