“I was shirtless more like Al than anything else,” he told “ET” host Rachel Smith at the Toronto International Film Festival. “There was an article about the film saying that I got in shape for the role, but I didn’t make it. My parents do crossfit. They’re 60 years old and they’re insanely healthy people, so I just have to keep them going.”
Let Radcliffe tell it, his parents are “phenoms” when it comes to fitness. “We don’t do crossfit together. CrossFit is their thing. I’m probably not fit enough for CrossFit,” he added.
For his latest role, Radcliffe stepped into the shoes of “Weird” Al Yankovic, the singer who parodied popular songs and solidified the craft into his own genre. Directed by Eric Appel, the film will be released on the Roku Channel in November.
“The accordion is a nightmare,” he said. “It’s wonderful, it’s wonderful, it’s really, really fun, but it also breaks your brain… [It takes] tremendous practice and talent. What he can do is wild.”
Of the film itself, the actor said it was “the only time I’ve played someone I’ve been a fan of.” He told ET that he’s very happy that Yankovic is an “incredibly nice, kind person” and that he’s just playing a “version” of him.
“Honestly, this movie from front to back was one of the funnest experiences I’ve ever had,” he told the publication. “There was no one on that set that was indifferent to Al’s music, everyone on that set loves Al and was so excited to be there every day.”
He added: “It felt like an incredible honor that we all got to be a part of something so crazy.”
“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” comes to the Roku Channel on November 4.