Julia Garner has secured the leading role in the upcoming Madonna biopic, Variety reports.
Garner came out on top of an audition process that was described as "grueling", with up to 11 hours a day of choreography sessions with Madonna's choreographer and Madonna herself, as well as singing auditions. Other actors in the running reportedly included Florence Pugh, Alexa Demie, and Odessa Young.
The currently untitled movie reportedly ends with the singer's 1990 Blonde Ambition tour, but this may change as the script is still being developed. Madonna initially co-wrote the screenplay with Juno scribe Diablo Cody, but Cody has since left the project and been replaced by Erin Cressida Wilson whose credits include The Girl on the Train. Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal is on board to produce, while Madonna herself is directing.
As for Garner, she earned two Emmys for her role as Ruth Langmore in the Netflix series Ozark, in which she starred opposite Jason Bateman and Laura Linney. She also recently played the lead in another Netflix series, Inventing Anna, about the socialite Anna Delvey, and has had roles in The Americans and Maniac.
The Madonna biopic will be her biggest big-screen role to date, as she's previously had roles in indie titles like The Assistant and Martha Marcy May Marlene.
While we wait for the Madonna biopic to arrive on the big screen, fill out your watch list with our picks of the other upcoming movies that should be on your radar, this year and beyond.
