Weird Al isn’t Daniel Radcliffe’s first rodeo at eccentricity. Being one of the most versatile actors of our generation, the young Brit’s resume speaks of a diversity that perhaps a rare few can boast of in their careers in Hollywood. Beginning with a franchise spearheading career spanning 8 movies and the entirety of his formative years, the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone actor has portrayed a genius megalomaniac, an online troll with guns taped to his hands, an accused murdered with horns sprouting from his head, and above all, the Boy Who Lived.
Now, Daniel Radcliffe goes on to add another notch to his belt with WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story which serves as a biopic of the infamous musician, Weird Al. But as it so happens, nothing is simply a story when it comes to Al Yankovic.
Weird Al Responds to Requests For His Biopic in Australia
The biopic about the life of Al Yankovic had been a welcome surprise since the name exists in the collective consciousness of the global public but hardly much is known about the outrageous life and rise of the parodic musician. So the January 2022 announcement of The Roku Channel to produce and stream the movie was essentially a momentous celebration for the connoisseurs of eccentric music.
Also read: WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story Review – Everything You’d Want From A Weird Al Movie
However, the only catch in the whole strategic planning on behalf of the channel was that Roku is a service provider only in the US, the UK, and Canada. When asked by a fan — “How do I watch in Australia?” — Weird Al, solemnly standing up to his reputation and name, replies cheekily that although The Roku cannot be accessed in the concerned continent, there are other (more illegal) ways to watch the Daniel Radcliffe movie.
The subtle misrepresentation of the abbreviated VPN is a clever touch on the part of the musician. VPN, which originally stands for Virtual Private Network, is an enabler for torrent sites that allows the public to directly download and stream films and series from the internet. Legally considered piracy, the VPN shields the identity of the torrent user’s IP address, essentially protecting them from being tracked online or identified.
Daniel Radcliffe Embodies Weirdness in the Al Yankovic Story
While anyone might be honored to be allowed to embody an icon of stature as great as Weird Al’s, the role was ultimately awarded to Daniel Radcliffe and there couldn’t have been anyone better suited for the job. The radically versatile actor brings his absolute best to the screen in this volatile 108-minute performance that screams sheer magnanimity of talent and eccentric creativity. Radcliffe announced upon the confirmation of his casting —
“Wearing the Hawaiian shirt is a huge responsibility that I don’t take lightly, and I’m honored to finally share with the world the absolutely 100 percent unassailably true story of Weird Al’s depraved and scandalous life.”
Directed by Eric Appel, WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story also stars the Westworld famed actress Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna and The Office‘s Rainn Wilson as Dr. Demento, the radio show host who catapulted Weird Al’s career.
WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story is available for streaming on The Roku Channel.
Source: Twitter: Al Yankovic
