Madonna joins The Studio

Though The Studio mopped up pretty much every major award for a comedy series during the 2025-26 awards season, I don’t think this show is actually THAT popular. Like it’s not Ted Lasso, an Apple TV+ series we can say with confidence “everyone” watched.

Ted Lasso had a certain level of cultural saturation only achieved by a legitimately large audience. I don’t even think The Studio is at Shrinking levels—not culturally dominant, but certainly a series with an audience, like my beloved Justified back in the day. I think The Studio is more like The Morning Show, it’s a show by and for people who make movies and TV, and those people make up its audience.

That said, I did enjoy season one, and I am mostly looking forward to season two, which is filming now in Italy. I say “mostly” simply because of the unexpected loss of Catherine O’Hara, who had a main role on the show as Patty Leigh, a studio executive turned producer after being fired (obviously modeled on Amy Pascal). The only thing about The Studio’s second season that I dread is having to farewell Patty Leigh.

Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, Bryan Cranston, Michael Keaton, Donald Glover, Kathryn Hahn, Julia Garner, and Madonna were seen filming in Venice yesterday. Based on hair styles and complimentary suit colors, it looks like Sal Saperstein (Barinholtz) is spending too much time with Cranston’s lunatic CEO character, Griffin Mill. Also, Kathryn Hahn’s character, publicist Maya Mason, is rocking a c-nty little bob (note from Emily: after further inspection, it appears to be a cunty little mullet with a long ponytail in the back, lol). Hahn’s performance is outstanding in The Studio, she’s so specific in her mannerisms that people have been pinning her inspirations on specific publicists around Hollywood.

But it’s Madonna drawing the most attention. The Studio’s first season featured several celebrities playing versions of themselves—all unhinged to varying degrees, no one in this show is well—so the question is whether she’s filming a proper role or just a cameo. This does, at least, explain why she missed her annual Oscar party, co-hosted with Guy Oseary. She was in Italy.

Also, Julia Garner being on set with Madonna reminds me that Garner was tapped by Madge herself to star in Madonna’s self-directed biopic. The status of that project is a mystery. It was reportedly shelved, but as of September 2025, Garner says it is still happening. Julia Garner is about as perfect as casting gets for a Madonna biopic, so here’s hoping it actually happens sooner rather than later.

There are a ton of photos attached below, please make sure you click through each gallery to see all of them!