Florence Pugh, Julia Garner & more still in the running to star in Madonna movie

There are plenty of biopics out there but it’s rare that the subject actually gets to direct their own biopic. Musical icon Madonna announced that would be doing just that in 2020 and she’s spent the last year searching for the perfect actress to play her. That process is still ongoing, but THR has reported that a number of actresses are still in the running to star in the Madonna movie, including Florence Pugh, Julia Garner and more.

The outlet reports that in addition to Florence Pugh (Black Widow) and Julia Garner (Ozark), those still in the running to play the Queen of Pop include Alexa Demie (Euphoria), Odessa Young (Mothering Sunday), and Emma Laird (Mayor of Kingstown). Musical artists such as Bebe Rexha and Sky Ferreira have also been included in the search for the perfect Madonna, but the audition process has been described to THR as “grueling” by one rep. In a sort of “Madonna bootcamp,” potential candidates are undergoing intense choreography sessions with Madonna’s own choreographer for up to 11 hours a day, not to mention singing auditions and readings with Madonna herself. One insider stated that you really “have to be able to do everything.“

In addition to directing her own movie, Madonna is also co-writing the screenplay. She first tackled the script with Diablo Cody, who later excited the project, and again with Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train). There have been previous attempts at bringing Madonna’s rise to fame to life, but she’s never been happy with the scripts she’s been sent. “I read that Universal was doing a script,” Madonna told Jimmy Fallon last year. “Like they sent me the script because they wanted my blessing, and I read it. It was the most hideous, superficial crap I’ve ever read.” The artist added that “the reason I’m doing it is because a bunch of people have tried to write movies about me, but they’re always men.” The Madonna movie hasn’t received a green light by Universal at this point, but they’re said to be quite pumped about it.