Pop superstar Madonna has made a dramatic return to acting after a two-decade hiatus, with the 67-year-old icon being glimpsed on set in Venice, Italy this week. She is filming a guest appearance for the second season of Seth Rogen's Apple TV+ sitcom The Studio, marking her first significant acting role since 2006.
From Pop Diva to Screen Star
Madonna previously balanced a thriving acting career alongside her monumental music success, most notably winning a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Eva Perón in the 1995 film adaptation of Evita. Her last major acting credit was a voice role in the 2006 animated feature Arthur and the Invisibles, directed by Luc Besson, which was a commercial disappointment. Prior to that, her IMDb page lists a 2003 guest spot on the hit sitcom Will & Grace as her most recent live-action performance.
Teasing The Italian Job
The Material Girl hinted at her upcoming project through an Instagram Story this week, showing herself reading a script on a Venetian gondola with the caption 'The Italian Job.' The series The Studio, co-created by and starring Seth Rogen as a beleaguered studio executive, also features a cast including Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Kathryn Hahn. Tragically, the show's first season included comedy legend Catherine O'Hara, who passed away unexpectedly in January at age 71 after a private battle with rectal cancer.
Venetian Sightings and Career Highlights
During her Venice trip for filming, Madonna was also photographed boarding a water taxi while draped in a long puffer coat, carrying a purse and Louis Vuitton hat, with a mysterious bandage visible on her hand. Her acting career skyrocketed in parallel with her music fame during the 1980s, beginning with her breakout role opposite Rosanna Arquette in the beloved 1985 comedy Desperately Seeking Susan.
Arquette recalled in a recent interview how Madonna 'exploded' into global superstardom as a singer while they were making the film, noting her impressive handling of the sudden intense fame. Madonna's filmography includes fan favorites like the 1990 comic book detective caper Dick Tracy, directed by and starring her then-boyfriend Warren Beatty, which featured musical numbers by Stephen Sondheim.
Cinematic Legacy and Critical Views
Her 1992 baseball classic A League of Their Own, directed by Penny Marshall with an all-star cast including Tom Hanks and Geena Davis, remains cherished by fans. Despite her Golden Globe win for Evita, Madonna did not receive an Oscar nomination, though a new song written for the film, You Must Love Me, did win at the Academy Awards. Broadway star Patti LuPone, who originated the role of Eva Perón on stage, has been openly critical of Madonna's acting abilities, once calling her a 'movie-killer' and stating she 'cannot act her way out of a paper bag.'
This guest role on The Studio represents a significant comeback for Madonna, who has largely focused on her music career and other ventures over the past twenty years. The filming in Venice adds an exotic backdrop to her return, sparking excitement among fans eager to see her back on screen.
