Madonna is revisiting one of the most iconic moments of her career, and this time, she’s not doing it alone. While in Venice filming The Studio season two, the pop legend teamed up with Julia Garner to recreate her unforgettable gondola ride from the Like a Virgin music video, instantly sending fans into a frenzy.
The iconic 1984 global hit, directed by Mary Lambert, was partially filmed on location in Venice.
Lambert recalled the creative choice in I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution:
“[Madonna] singing in a gondola was the most outrageous thing I could think of.”
You can view the music video here:
- YouTubeMadonna
Madonna and her biopic protégé shared that same energy in a recent social media post, singing along to the song’s chorus while holding oversized hats as a gondolier rows them through the canals. The moment closely mirrors the original visual, where Madonna moves through Venice in bridal-inspired looks.
Posted yesterday, the Grammy winner captioned:
“Like A Virgin……again and again.”
The Venice setting also marks a return to familiar ground for Madonna, who last appeared on camera there in the 2002 film Swept Away, directed by Guy Ritchie, to whom she was married at the time.
You can view the post below:
The Venice appearance is part of Madonna’s latest chapter on screen. She was spotted filming scenes for The Studio season two, with images of her and Garner on set circulating via DeuxMoi after she teased the project days earlier on Instagram Stories with a script labeled “The Italian Job.”
The Apple TV+ series, led by Seth Rogen as the head of a chaotic Hollywood studio, quickly established itself as a magnet for A-list cameos in its first season. That trend appears to be continuing as production ramps up on season two.
The show’s growing universe comes at a moment of transition as well, following the passing of Catherine O’Hara, who had been part of its extended ensemble. Alongside returning cast members Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, and Chase Sui Wonders, with Bryan Cranston in a key recurring role, the new season is already drawing attention for who might appear next.
Online, fans quickly connected the recreation to Madonna’s original video, with many noting the full-circle moment of Garner stepping into the frame alongside her.
You can view the reactions below:
Garner has been linked to portraying the singer in a long-awaited biopic for years. A source told People in 2022 that Garner was Madonna's top choice for the role. Despite various delays, the two have continued to make public appearances together, keeping speculation about the project alive.
In July 2024, Madonna shared a peek at the screenplay, tentatively titled Who’s That Girl, further signaling that the film remains in development.
Garner discussed the project during an appearance on the SmartLess podcast:
“I knew that they were doing a project making a movie about it and then… I kind of just wanted to see if I could do it. ‘Cause i wasn’t a trained dancer and then I had to learn how to dance and dance in front of her and convince her that I can dance, basically, and sing, and sing with her.”
Garner has remained linked to the project since at least 2022 and indicated in the same conversation that it is still moving forward, even if slowly.
For now, their Venice collaboration offers a glimpse of that creative overlap, blending Madonna’s past, present, and possible future into a single moment that fans are already treating as something larger than a cameo.
