Evan Rachel Wood Says She Binged Madonna Music Videos for Weeks Before Weird Role: 'She's a Genius' – PEOPLE
Benjamin VanHoose is an Associate Editor on the Movies team at PEOPLE. He's worked at PEOPLE for over three years as a writer and reporter across our Entertainment, Lifestyle and News teams, covering everything from the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial to the Oscars. He regularly covers red carpet events and has interviewed stars like Drew Barrymore, Ryan Reynolds and Kirsten Dunst. He previously worked as a copy editor at Topix Media Lab.
Evan Rachel Wood did her homework before playing Madonna.
The actress stars opposite Daniel Radcliffe in director Eric Appel’s comedic biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, playing the iconic pop star whose song “Like a Virgin” was famously parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic for his tune “Like a Surgeon.”
At PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly‘s photo and video studio at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, Wood, 34, talked studying Madonna, 64, to get ready for the part.
"This is one of the most fun projects I've worked on," says Wood. "I felt like, oh no, now I'm only gonna wanna do comedies because it was such a great experience. … It was very hard to keep a straight face most of the time."
She says "everyone had fun" working on bringing the largely fictionalized Madonna character to life, from wardrobe and costume to hair and makeup.
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"And I spent a few weeks before shooting just bingeing Madonna interviews from the early '80s and her music videos and things," says Wood. "It was fun. It's always fun to get to go back and revisit and be like, 'Oh, right — she's a genius.' There's a reason why she's Madonna."
Wood says she wanted to keep the costumes afterward. "Every day it was just as fun as the first time I put it on," she says of the Madonna looks. "I would just constantly film myself dancing around and Dubsmashing in my trailer. But I don't think I got to keep anything."
Director Appel shares that they haven't heard any reactions from the real-life Madonna about the movie.
"I hope that she loves it," he says. "I feel like Madonna has a sense of humor. … I think she'll like it."
Adds Radcliffe, 33, "I second that. I'm sure. It's great — and you're playing her," signaling to Wood. "Who could not love that?"
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story debuts on The Roku Channel Nov. 4.
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