Madonna is tackling Madonna, and now the Material Girl has cast herself.
Variety reports that Julia Garner, known for her roles in Ozark and Inventing Anna, will star as Madonna. Garner is fresh off Inventing Anna, a cult hit on Netflix where the actress played controversial real-life figure Anna Delvey.
The hunt for the perfect Madonna hasn’t been easy. The singer has been very critical about who will star as her, and there were even reports the candidates had to take a Madonna course. They worked out, ran performances, and attempted to capture the iconic pop singer. Reports say it was pretty grueling but used as a way for the director to see who could perfectly capture the role.
Sources close to Variety note Garner emerged the favorite from over a dozen candidates early and “has been speculated as a frontrunner for the part.” Actresses considered for the role reportedly included Florence Pugh, Euphoria star Alexa Demie, Odessa Young, and singers Bebe Rexha and Sky Ferreira.
Universal Pictures will tackle this film, with Amy Pascal attached as a producer. Madonna will direct, which will be quite the mission for the singer and activist. When announced, Madonna said she hoped to “convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer — a human being, trying to make her way in this world. The focus of this film will always be music. Music has kept me going, and art has kept me alive. There are so many untold and inspiring stories, and who better to tell it than me. It’s essential to share the roller coaster ride of my life with my voice and vision.”
The project seemed to be in a bit of trouble as Madonna’s co-writer, Diablo Cody, quit the project. Later on, The Girl on the Train’s Erin Cressida Wilson would assume writing duties from Cody and eventually finish the script. The casting of Garner is a good sign that Madonna and the studio are now ready for the next steps in bringing the film to life.
