Emmy Award-winning actress Julia Garner is still hopeful that the Madonna biopic, which she was set to star in, will eventually get the green light again after it was scrapped in January.
Over the weekend, Garner spoke to Entertainment Tonight the 2023 Oscars afterparty about the film’s fate. When asked if she hoped the biopic would ever end up happening, Garner replied, “Yeah, yeah.” Careful in her responses, the Inventing Anna star said, “I don’t want to tell too much. I want to keep things… yeah, fingers crossed.”
The Madonna movie is no longer in development at Universal Pictures when the music legend (who was set to direct it) announced her career-spanning Celebration World Tour, which quickly sold out shows in cities like London, New York City and Paris. Sources told Variety that Madonna’s sole focus now is her tour, but still remains committed to making a film about her life one day.
After a grueling audition process, Garner was offered the leading role of Madonna over other high-profile candidates like Don’t Worry Darling’s Florence Pugh, Euphoria’s Alexa Demie, Odessa Young and Bebe Rexha, who all attended a singing and dancing “bootcamp.”
Madonna was set to both co-write and direct the project, which would have highlighted the “untold story of Madonna as an artist, a musician and a dancer who tries to make her way in this world.” It was going to be written alongside Academy Award-winner Diablo Cody, the screenwriter behind cult-followed films like Juno and Jennifer’s Body. Little Women producer and Academy Award nominee Amy Pascal was among the team of producers.
“I want 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,” Madonna said in a statement. “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.”
Madonna teased script sessions with Cody via Instagram back in 2020, asking followers in the caption, “Are you ready for the story of my life…Am I?” She divulged, “I keep forgetting that I’m writing about myself. I can’t make this s**t up! But in fact, I don’t need to. The truth will set you free and (can) also be devastating!”
