Filming on the “Weird Al” Yankovic biopic starring Daniel Radcliffe is underway, and Rolling Stone has an exclusive first look at some of the film’s surprise casting, including Evan Rachel Wood in the role of Madonna.
Yankovic notably parodied Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” in 1985, crafting “Like a Surgeon” with Madonna’s blessing; she allegedly also came up with the spoof’s title. (The following year, he created a faux interview with the Material Girl, using footage from a preexisting Madonna interview paired with his outlandish questions.)
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In addition to Wood portraying Madonna in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, The Office’s Rainn Wilson has also been cast as legendary bizarro radio host (and “Weird Al” mentor) Dr. Demento, while Toby Huss and Julianne Nicholson will play Yankovic’s parents Nick and Mary.
Roku, which will premiere the biopic, previously shared the first photo of Harry Potter star Radcliffe in the role of the master parodist. “Wearing the Hawaiian shirt is a huge responsibility that I don’t take lightly, and I’m honored to finally share with the world the absolutely 100 percent unassailably true story of Weird Al’s depraved and scandalous life,” Radcliffe said in a statement.
Yankovic himself co-wrote Weird: The Al Yankovic Story alongside Funny or Die’s Eric Appel, who will also direct the likely unorthodox biopic.
“When my last movie UHF came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. I’m very happy to say we’re on schedule,” Yankovic previously said in a statement. “And I am absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for.”
Roku also said of the film, “The biopic holds nothing back, exploring every facet of Yankovic’s life, from his meteoric rise to fame with early hits like ‘Eat It’ and ‘Like a Surgeon’ to his torrid celebrity love affairs and famously depraved lifestyle. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story takes audiences on a truly unbelievable journey through Yankovic’s life and career, from gifted child prodigy to the greatest musical legend of all time.”
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