Evan Rachel Wood cast as Madonna…in “Weird Al” Yankovic biopic

While a search for someone to star in Madonna‘s upcoming biopic is reportedly ongoing, another movie has decided on who will play its Madonna.

Emmy-nominated Westworld star Evan Rachel Wood will portray the Queen of Pop in WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story, a Roku Original movie about the life and career of famed parody singer “Weird Al” Yankovic that stars Daniel Radcliffe as Al. A still released from the film shows Wood as Madonna circa 1984 or 1985.

As for why Madonna is in the film, it likely has something to do with the fact that after her song “Like a Virgin” became a hit, she wondered to an acquaintance when Al would turn it into “Like a Surgeon.” The acquaintance knew Al’s manager and told him what Madonna had said, and the manager brought it up to Al.

In 1985, Al released “Like a Surgeon” — in the only instance of Al getting a parody idea directly from the artist who he was parodying.

As for Madonna’s biopic, which she’s co-writing and directing, the Hollywood newsletter The Ankler reports that Euphoria actresses Sydney Sweeney and Barbie Ferreira have both auditioned to play her, as has Julia Garner of Ozark. Madonna initially wanted Florence Pugh, but as The Ankler writes, “If they’re auditioning as many actresses as they have been, it doesn’t seem as though that one worked out.”