Julia Garner Shares Update on Madonna Biopic: ‘It’s a Work in Progress’

Julia Garner is still on to play Madonna in the music icon’s biopic.

The "Weapons" star confirmed in a recent interview that she will portray the “Material Girl” when the biopic comes to life.

“I can’t say too much about it, but yes, it’s a work in progress,” Garner told W Magazine.

As far as Garner’s favorite Madonna songs, the actress said she had so many adding, “I love ‘Borderline,’ that’s probably my favorite. I also love ‘Papa Don’t Preach.’ I love ‘Burning Up.’ I love Confessions on a Dance Floor. I grew up with that album. Obviously ‘Vogue,’ and ‘Ray of Light.'”

“I love all of Madonna basically is what I’m trying to say,” Garner added. “But definitely, I think ‘Borderline’ and ‘Papa Don’t Preach’ are probably my two favorite Madonna songs. And I just love Madonna’s voice on ‘Papa Don’t Preach.’ There’s a lot of emotions in that song and I love that.”

Last month, the "Fantastic Four: First Steps" star made an appearance on the SmartLess podcast, where she said the biopic was “supposed to still happen.” 

During that same interview, Garner gave insight into the audition process she went through.

“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 and then dance in front of her and convince her that I can dance, basically, and sing. And sing with her!” she recalled of the audition process.

To prepare for the audition, Garner reveals that she told herself, “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.'”

In January 2023, it was reported that the film at Universal Pictures had been scrapped. 

Madonna was set to direct the film about her life and career, penning the script with Diablo Cody and Erin Cressida Wilson.

After the film was put on hold, Madonna teased in July 2024 that she was back working on a script for her biopic.

Earlier this year, Madonna had partnered with Netflix to tell her story in a TV series being developed alongside Shawn Levy.