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Julia Garner has confirmed that the long-awaited Madonna biopic is still in development. During a recent appearance on the 'SmartLess' podcast with Sean Hayes, Will Arnett, and Jason Bateman, the 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' star said the project is still expected to happen, despite past delays and uncertainty.
Julia Garner, 31, explained how her journey with the Madonna biopic began. As a longtime fan of the pop icon, she was immediately intrigued when she learned a film about Madonna’s life was in the works. She decided to audition, curious to see if she could truly embody the Queen of Pop. At the time, Garner had already gained recognition for her award-winning roles in Ozark and Inventing Anna, but playing Madonna meant stepping into uncharted territory — especially when it came to dancing.
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Image Courtesy: Getty
Julia Garner Shares How She Got The Role
With no formal dance training, Garner had to learn choreography and then perform it in front of Madonna herself. To prepare, she channelled Madonna’s fearless spirit, reminding herself to project confidence and conviction. Her mindset during the audition was to fully own the room — believing that if she was passed over, it would be the film’s loss, not hers.
Julia Garner emphasised that the Madonna biopic is still alive behind the scenes, and she’s learned that meaningful creative projects often take years to fully develop. Since 2022, Garner has been linked to the role, and insiders previously revealed she was Madonna’s top choice for the part. Even after Universal Pictures reportedly shelved the project in 2023, Madonna and Julia Garner remained close. The two were photographed together multiple times, and Garner even joined the music legend onstage during a Brooklyn concert in late 2023.
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Image Courtesy: Getty
Madonna Shares About Her Biopic
In July 2024, Madonna gave fans a major update by revealing she was still working on the script and mentioned a tentative title for the film: 'Who’s That Girl' — a tribute to her 1987 hit song and movie. In 2025, new momentum sparked again when Madonna teamed up with 'Deadpool & Wolverine' director Shawn Levy to develop a Netflix limited series based on her life. Garner, who has had prior success on Netflix, remains the likely lead.
While fans wait for the Madonna project to take its next big step, Garner continues to shine in other roles. She currently stars as the Silver Surfer in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps', now playing in theatres, and will appear next in 'Weapons', hitting screens on 8th August.
