Daniel Radcliffe stars as Weird Al in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story and his instant desire to play accordion proved he was the right person for the role. Radcliffe has had a long career since his days playing a child wizard in Harry Potter and the actor has had quite the filmography since. In an effort to not get typecast, he has taken on some interesting roles ranging from the male love interest in The F Word to a corpse in Swiss Army Man. The biopic sees Radcliffe get weirder than ever as he becomes the parody musician Weird Al Yankovic.
The movie's director, Eric Appel, revealed to Deadline that Radcliffe's commitment to learning accordion is what secured his role in the parody biopic. Appel and Yankovic were both impressed by Radcliffe’s dedication to the role, with Yankovic himself teaching the actor how to play. Check out Appel's first impressions of Radcliffe below:
"He took it very seriously. And in our first meeting with him when he signed on to do it, which was about two years before it got made, he asked the question at the end of our Zoom call: ‘What kind of accordion should I buy? I’m planning on learning how to play the accordion.’”
Radcliffe Is A Great Weird Actor
He may have started acting in one of the most beloved children’s stories of all time, but Radcliffe's career since the Harry Potter franchise has been fairly weird. The actor has made it a goal of his to try various different roles and genres, and he has certainly done so. His filmography is eclectic with roles in horror, romance, comedy, and pretty much any genre imaginable. Radcliffe's dedication to acting and his love of weird movies make him the perfect fit for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
Radcliffe is committed to his roles and truly shines as a weird actor, proving that his talent goes beyond his years as a child star. In Swiss Army Man—one of Radcliffe's more abnormal roles—he certainly proved his dedication as he plays a farting corpse for the entire runtime. Even when playing ridiculous parts, Radcliffe is serious about his acting and that's what makes him so great at being weird. To truly convince audiences that he's weird he doesn't rely on jokes or over-the-top body language, he simply acts weird.
After starring in one of the biggest franchises of all time, Radcliffe is now just acting for himself. He has made a point to take on weird roles and is certainly having fun doing so. Not only was he dedicated to his role in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, but his filmography provides him with the perfect resume for the movie. He is every bit as weird as Yankovic, and it seems he was destined for the comedic biopic.
Source: Deadline
