Madonna biopic 'still happening,' says Julia Garner amid delays
What's the story
Julia Garner, who was set to play pop icon Madonna in her upcoming biopic, recently gave an update on the project. Speaking on the SmartLess podcast, she said that she is still attached to the film and it is "supposed to still happen." The biopic, to be directed by Madonna herself, was first announced in 2020 and has gone through two scripts by Diablo Cody and Cressida Wilson.
Role preparation
Garner is a huge fan of Madonna
Garner said she is a huge fan of Madonna and grew up listening to her music. She revealed that she landed the role after hearing about the project and auditioning for it. "I kind of just wanted to see if I could do it because I wasn't a trained dancer and I had to learn how to dance."
Audition details
'What would Madonna do?'
Garner shared her audition preparation process, which involved asking herself what Madonna would do in her situation. She said, "OK, what would Madonna do? Which is convince you that she deserves, you know, to be in this room, and I owned it." "I was kind of like, 'You can take it or leave it, but if you leave it, if I leave, then that's on you.'"
Film status
Anything that's great takes a long time: Garner
Garner assured fans that they shouldn't be concerned about the film's delay, stating that "anything that's great... takes a long time." The update comes as a relief for the biopic after reports suggested it might be canceled. Meanwhile, a 2025 report stated Netflix was also planning a limited series on the seven-time Grammy winner.