The 2024 Netflix documentary Remembering Gene Wilder has received positive reviews, but more importantly, it sold me on the perfect Jeremy Allen White biopic fancasting. Gene Wilder sadly passed away in 2016 from Alzheimer’s disease and had been in semi-retirement before his diagnosis. His final film came in 2005 as the narrator of the documentary Expo: Magic of the White City. The documentary is a tribute to Gene Wilder and his movies, many of which have been deemed classics, featuring never-before-seen home movies and interviews from his collaborators like Mel Brooks.

Though Wilder hadn’t acted since 2005, his work ensured that even Gen Z knew who he was through films like Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). That is if you didn’t grow up only watching the darker 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnny Depp. Even then, you’ve probably seen the condescending Willy Wonka meme made of the actor. With the release of Wonka (2023) starring Timothée Chalamet, and now Remembering Gene Wilder, a popular fancasting has been on my mind, and apparently, I’m not the only one.

Jeremy Allen White Could Totally Play Gene Wilder In A Biopic

Jeremy Allen White Strongly Resembles Gene Wilder

Years ago, I started seeing Jeremy Allen White being fancast in a Gene Wilder biopic on social media. The actors are the first entry in a thread on X of “celebrities who share the same face” made by user pop_archives. This thread has over 378,000 likes in just a few weeks, and the fancasting just keeps growing in popularity.

Remembering Gene Wilder made it once again difficult to ignore their physical resemblance, but it was also a reminder of what made Wilder such a legend, which is also some of what makes Allen White great. It’s not exactly a hot take to say that Allen White is great when you’ve seen The Bear. After all, The Bear swept the last two television award seasons, with more likely on the way for Allen White thanks to his stellar performance in season 2 and the upcoming The Bear season 3.

These awards have also led to debates about whether The Bear is a comedy or drama. The fact that Jeremy Allen White nails every scene with whatever it requires of him, comedic or dramatic, proves he has the chops to take on Gene Wilder in a biopic. Much of Wilder’s comedy came from how seriously he embodied his characters, even if they could be ridiculous or the situations they found themselves in were farcical. Shameless was also a comedy-drama, allowing Allen White to toe the often very thin line of comedy and drama necessary to one day play Gene Wilder.

Jeremy Allen White’s New Singer Biopic Can Better Prove His Ability To Play Gene Wilder

Jeremy Allen White Is Playing Bruce Springsteen In A Biopic

You can’t just skirt around singing ability when it comes to a Gene Wilder biopic. I’d be pretty disappointed if I watched one without songs like “Pure Imagination” or “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” Fortunately, Jeremy Allen White will be in another biopic that will help him prove himself. Bruce Springsteen has a well-known voice, but it’s not always well-beloved. There’s a raspy quality to it that can turn people off, but you can’t deny its passion and strength. Most importantly, it’s distinctive. You know it’s “The Boss” when you hear “The Boss.”

The same can be said for Gene Wilder. When someone opens their mouth to sing “Pure Imagination,” you can tell whether it’s Wilder or just an imitation. What’s important about Allen White’s Bruce Springsteen biopic isn’t just whether he can sing, but if he can adapt his voice to sound just like someone else’s. I don’t think anyone’s ever said “If you can do Springsteen, you can do Wilder,” so let me be the first to say it. Remembering Gene Wilder might help continue the Jeremy Allen White fancasting, but the Springsteen biopic could “Bring ’Em Home.”