Jeremy Allen White has said he would be “honoured” to play Hollywood legend Gene Wilder in an upcoming biopic, as fans continue to campaign for him to take on the role.
During an interview with Today’s Craig Melvin, White was asked whether he would consider portraying the late actor, writer and director if he was offered the part.
He did not hesitate.
“It would be my honor,” White said.
“Young Frankenstein is one of my earliest film memories. Blazing Saddles... he’s a genius. It would be an honor. He was a genius. Yeah, I love him. I’ve always loved him.”
White has long been compared to Wilder thanks to their strikingly similar appearance, particularly their blue eyes, curly dirty-blond hair and prominent facial features.
Since the Wilder biopic was announced in June, fans have increasingly suggested White should play the role.
The project is being developed by director Dito Montiel and writer Jeremy Roth and will explore Wilder’s rise from a shy theatre actor to one of Hollywood’s most recognisable comedy stars.
There is currently no official casting announcement linking White to the film, but the idea makes sense given where his career has gone in recent years.
White has increasingly shown that he can take on very different real-life figures and transform himself for the role.
In 2025, he played Bruce Springsteen in Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, taking on one of the biggest musical figures in American history.
The role was a major challenge for the actor, who had to learn guitar and work on his singing before filming. He also studied Springsteen’s performances and spent time with the musician himself.
Springsteen ultimately praised White’s performance, saying the actor captured his inner life rather than simply attempting an impression.
White has since taken on another real-life figure in The Social Reckoning, playing Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz in Aaron Sorkin’s follow-up to The Social Network.
The film is due in cinemas on October 9.
That run of roles is particularly interesting, considering White has previously spoken about the pressure involved in portraying real people.
He admitted that playing Springsteen could be so stressful that he would wake up in “cold sweats”, knowing the responsibility of portraying someone who is still alive and hugely admired.
Despite that pressure, his performances have continued to attract attention. His portrayal of Springsteen earned him a Golden Globe nomination, adding to the recognition he has already received for his work on The Bear.
A Gene Wilder role would be a very different challenge. Rather than portraying a contemporary musician at a serious point in his life, White would have to capture Wilder’s distinctive comic timing, energy and eccentricity.
It would also give him the chance to play someone whose physical resemblance to him has been pointed out by fans for years.
For now, there is no confirmation that White has been offered the part. But with the actor himself saying he would be honoured to play Wilder, and fans already making their choice clear, the casting conversation is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
