This wizard is getting bizarre. Daniel RadcliffeStars as the title comedian WEIRD: The Al Yankovic storyThe movie will live up its title if you do.
The film is based on a short. Al Yankovic made for Funny or Die in 2010, and the star-studded video poked fun at dramatic rock star biopics, exaggerating the comic’s life with sex, drugs and emotional breakdowns. The first teaser trailer, released in May 2022, reveals that the movie is set to have a similar tone, with Roku advertising it as “the untold true story” of the “Eat It” singer — as well as his “torrid celebrity love affairs and famously depraved lifestyle.”
Radcliffe is a big admirer of the Grammy Award Winner, but Radcliffe also loves the Lost CityStar revealed in a March 2022 appearance The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that he was surprised when Yankovic specifically chose him for the role — despite having never met.
“When I talked to Al for the first time, I was like, ‘I’m immensely flattered by the idea that you would pick me to play you, but like, why me? I’m mystified but excited,’” the Harry PotterActor recalled.
He explained that Yankovic watched a November 2010 episodeGraham Norton ShowRadcliffe flawlessly performed every word of Tom Lehrer’s song “The Elements,” which covers the entire periodic table of elements.
“I sang ‘The Elements’ next to Colin FarrellA very confused and bewildered Rihanna,” Radcliffe explained. “I guess Al saw that and was like, ‘This guy maybe gets it.’ And so he picked me. So I’m very, very lucky, and now I’ve gotten to have accordion lessons with Al.”
The Swiss Army Man star took up the humorist’s iconic instrument of choice.
“I got lent Al’s accordion for the month,” he said. “He gave me his own accordion to practice on for the month. On day two of that, I broke one of the straps … and then immediately got them replaced. Thankfully, he’s like the nicest guy.”
He said that while he was on The View later that month that the movie was “an incredibly fast shoot” for him, with only a few weeks in front of the camera.
“It was 18 days, but it was one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life,” he explained. “[Al is]Simply the best. He’s the nicest human and he was on set every day so it was just a real pleasure.”
Yankovic suggested that the Miracle WorkersThe actor delivers a strong performance in the flick. “That is a WRAP on Mr. Radcliffe! See him in this. He’s even more like me than I am,” he shared via Instagram in March.
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