The first set photos from the upcoming biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story arrive, with Daniel Radcliffe in costume as the comedic musician.
Actor Daniel Radcliffe has transformed into multi-Grammy-winning performer “Weird Al” Yankovic in the first on-set photos from the upcoming biopic, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
Radcliffe, who is best known as boy wizard Harry Potter in author J.K. Rowling’s record-breaking film series of the same name, has taken on a wide variety of roles since the Potter series ended in 2011.
The 32-year-old seems to be attracted to stories of extraordinary real people, having tested this formula in films such as Kill Your Darlings, Jungle, and most recently, Escape From Pretoria.
Perhaps because of his willingness to explore new challenges and never take himself too seriously along the way, Radcliffe was recently cast as Yankovic in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
The film, which was co-written by Yankovic, will follow the comedic musician’s rise to fame and the strange yet fascinating life he’s lived throughout that time.
Despite being just one of three major artists to have achieved a Top 40 hit in every decade since the 1980s, Yankovic’s musical talents have often been overlooked, likely because many of his songs are parodies of other artists’ hits.
He gained particular recognition in 1984 after releasing Eat It, a satirical take on Michael Jackson’s mega-hit Beat It.
The song’s lyrics were a source of amusement for many, but it was the video for the song, which arrived during the MTV heyday, that added an extra element of comedy and further bolstered Yankovic’s persona.
With filming on the Roku production now underway, Film Updates has provided the first on-set photos of Radcliffe as Yankovic via their official Twitter account.
Fans of Radcliffe will certainly have a lot to say about the transformation – particularly those who are familiar with Yankovic. Check out the new images from the Weird:
At first glance, it might be tempting for some to argue that Radcliffe appears more obviously in costume than actually bearing any real resemblance to Yankovic.
Everything from the wig to the mustache to the shirt looks more like elements that could easily be assembled for a last-minute Halloween costume rather than essential components of a character’s wardrobe in a feature film production.
And while this is a fair enough argument, it’s important to remember that for much of his career, this is exactly how Yankovic appeared and that even on him, it’s given off a comical, somewhat surrealist vibe.
Biopics, while often very successful with audiences and critics alike, are a particularly deceptive genre of filmmaking.
When they land well, they’re lauded for their accuracy and insight into lives that people want to know more about.
When they miss the mark, however, they’re forever resigned to obscurity and ridicule.
So far, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story hasn’t given any indication that it’s looking to approach the famed musician’s life and career with straight-faced rigidity. On the contrary, the film already feels like it’s aiming to crack audiences up, and Daniel Radcliffe’s involvement could play a big part in that.
