Born Alfred Matthew Yankovic but better known today as “Weird Al,” the 63-year-old California-born parody songwriter has somehow burrowed his way into our hearts. Known for writing comedy songs that poke fun at hits from pop stars like Madonna, Coolio and Michael Jackson, “Weird Al” made himself a music legend.
Videos by American Songwriter
But did you know he is also a star of the silver screen? Or that Hollywood made a biopic about Al starring a world-famous actor? Well, if not, or if you just like remembering the artist in his film roles, too, check out the trio of movies below.
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1. UHF (1989)
How did this 1989 movie get made? Er, actually, how did this movie predict the future? In one way, Al, who co-wrote the script, is parodying other films like Indiana Jones and at the same time, he’s predicting the debasing of culture. The lowest common denominator wins the day. But your stance on media in 2023 notwithstanding, this movie is funny, creative, and even stars some other familiar faces. Check out the trailer below.
2. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
This more recent 2022 film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Alfred “Al” Yankovic and, as one might suspect, it is a parody of biopics. The movie is, generally, based on Al’s life but it also hits—and makes fun of—many of the beats found in more traditional Hollywood musical biopics. Even the trailer is hilarious. Check it out below.
3. “Weird Al” Yankovic Live! (1999)
This concert film, which you can see below in its entirety thanks to the folks from YouTube, is a movie-length concert film released in 1999. It features many of his famous songs, including “Gump,” “Like a Surgeon,” and “Amish Paradise.” If you want to know the essence of Al, check him out onstage in front of thousands.
(Photo by Ron Wolfson/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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