Why Madonna Didn't Want A Man To Direct Her Upcoming "Visual Autobiography"
Previous attempts to make a movie about her life were "hideous, superficial, crap," she says.
Madonna is taking creative control over the upcoming biographical movie about her life.
The "Holiday" singer explained during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that even though multiple scripts have come her way throughout her life asking to bring her career to the big screen, they were always conceptualized by men who didn't understand her life story.
"People have tried to write movies about me but they're always men...ugh," said Madonna during the interview. "[Universal] sent me a script and they wanted my blessing and I read it and it was one of the most hideous, superficial, crap I've ever read. And then I found out —I'm not even going to say his name but he's a total misogynist—was directing and I'm thinking 'Why would these people make a movie about my life?'"
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The star continued, "There's nothing true in the script. The guy who's making it has no understanding of women, no appreciation of women, no respect for women. This happened a couple of times and I had to call people up, call up the heads of studios, call up my agents, and threaten them and say that I will stand in front of the building and protest and make everyone's life a misery if they go through with it...and they still didn't take me seriously."
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Madonna expressed that her experience with the studios and filmmakers is what encouraged her to "throw down the gauntlet" to write the script and direct the upcoming film (which she also firmly feels should be called a "visual autobiography" rather than a "biopic.")
The singer previously released a statement last year confirming the film was underway and getting into why she was ready to tell the story of her life.
"I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer—a human being, trying to make her way in this world," she said in the statement on her website. "The focus of this film will always be music. Music has kept me going and art has kept me alive. There are so many untold and inspiring stories and who better to tell it than me. It's essential to share the roller coaster ride of my life with my voice and vision."
This article originally appeared in Harper's BAZAAR US