Including a friendship fallout we can’t stop thinking about.
Do you know everything there is to know about the queen of pop? You might think you do, but let’s face it: Madonna always has a secret or two up her sleeves.
From a mainstream upbringing in Detroit, Michigan, to a college scholarship gone awry, to a resounding rejection of one of Hollywood’s greatest honors, Madonna has had a whirlwind of a life.
Here are five facts about Madonna Louise Ciccone (yes, that’s her real name — did you know that?) that might surprise you.
Madonna originally wanted to become a ballerina
As a child growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Madonna started ballet lessons and fell in love with the art immediately. She practiced as a ballerina throughout her adolescence, then transitioned to modern dance. After studying dance in college (more on that below), she moved to NYC at 19 and took dance classes at the Martha Graham School, founded by its namesake, the legendary modern dancer and choreographer.
In the years since she transitioned to modern dance, Madonna hasn’t spoken publicly about her relationship with ballet. However, in 2018 it was reported that Madonna was set to direct a ballerina biopic film called Taking Flight. The film is based on the life of famed ballerina Michaela DePrince.
It’s not clear what stage of development the film is currently in — but Madonna did give a statement about her passion for the story when news of the deal broke in 2018.
“Michaela’s journey resonated with me deeply as both an artist and an activist who understands adversity,” Madonna said in a statement. “We have a unique opportunity to shed light on Sierra Leone and let Michaela be the voice for all the orphaned children she grew up beside. I am honored to bring her story to life.”
Madonna was a straight-A student who got a scholarship to the University of Michigan
Before she became a risk-taking, record-breaking pop star, she was a straight-A student at a Big Ten school in the Midwest.
Madonna’s college years have become the stuff of legend — and for good reason. The story goes that she went to the University of Michigan on a dance scholarship, then eventually dropped out of school and moved to New York City.
In one way, Madonna left college and never looked back. But in another way, it’s clear she has a soft spot for the college experience, and even specifically for the University of Michigan. In 2013, Madonna was seen in Ann Arbor with her daughter, Lourdes, who would eventually enroll as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, just like her mom.
In an interview around that time, Madonna explained, “I want my daughter to go to school there. I keep telling her [that] Ann Arbor is an awesome place.”
Madonna turned down an offer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
She might be one of the most famous performers of all time, but that doesn’t mean you’ll see her name written in the stars any time soon.
Madonna is one of a small handful of celebrities who refused the honor of having a permanent star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She’s never stated explicitly why she turned down the offer — but there are a few reasons why she might have.
Some fans think she found the whole thing “cheesy,” but it also could have been a logistical issue. A surprising price tag comes with it. According to the official website for the Walk of Fame, there’s a $75,000 fee attached to receiving a Hollywood Star, which goes toward the creation and ongoing maintenance of the sidewalk tile. And while Madonna could most certainly afford that payment, it’s entirely possible that she didn’t find the payment worthwhile. She is, after all, one of the only people on earth who is referenced by a single name — she doesn’t exactly need a Hollywood star to preserve her fame.
Madonna has appeared in over 19 films — and even won a Golden Globe
She might be known for her work as a musician, but Madonna has also enjoyed a lengthy acting career — with a wide range of critical reception, to say the least.
For her work in Evita, the movie adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musical, Madonna received a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy in 1997. It was an iconic moment for an iconic singer to receive such a monumental award in the world of film — and yet, it doesn’t exactly serve as an accurate symbol for the rest of Madonna’s work as an actor.
This is because Madonna has received numerous awards throughout her acting career for being an awful actor, too. Specifically, she’s received seven Razzies, which are given at the Golden Raspberry Awards, a famous satirical awards show that annually celebrates the worst that cinema has to offer.
Her most significant Razzie moment? When she was nominated for Worst Actress of the Decade in 2010. Fortunately, she didn’t take home the gold in that category.
Madonna used to be best friends with Gwyneth Paltrow
Here’s a real curve ball: Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna were once so close that Paltrow was the top choice among the rumor mills when people were speculating who would be the maid of honor at Madonna’s first wedding.
Yes, the two women were, at one point in their lives, absolute best friends. There’s a certain logic to this intimacy: In the late 90s and early 2000s, they were both living in the United Kingdom, both married to rock stars, and both in the midst of mothering young children.
At some point, it seems, this friendship disintegrated. Neither woman has explicitly stated why their friendship fell apart, but Paltrow has hinted at the friendship breakup in the past. In an interview with The Telegraph in 2010, Paltrow said of Madonna, “She keeps people waiting — it takes up your whole day.”
Moviegoers thought Madonna and “Weird Al” Yankovic might have dated
One of the most commonly asked questions on the internet about Madonna is whether she dated Weird Al Yankovic. (For those who aren’t familiar with that name, you should know it’s not an insult. The performer literally calls himself “Weird Al,” and is famous for parodying popular songs.) This rumor didn’t exactly come out of left field, either. In the 2022 biopic Weird: the Al Yankovic Story, one scene literally shows Yankovic making out with a young Madonna.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show to promote the biopic, Yankovic took a moment to set the record straight.
“There are a few little nuggets of truth spread throughout the biopic,” he said. “Our relationship is platonic, by the way. The only time I actually met her was in 1985, and I talked to her for maybe, like, 45 seconds backstage. That’s the extent of the whole relationship.”
Yankovic was quick to acknowledge the irony that a biopic about his life features a whole storyline with Madonna, when he doesn’t actually have that relationship with her in real life. “Madonna sort of becomes the ‘villain’ in the movie,” he explained. “She does everything she can to calculatedly get me to do a parody of her new single so she can get that Yankovic Bump.”
It’s certainly an unconventional approach for a biopic, but then again, Yankovic and Madonna are both pretty unconventional people, don’t you think?
