Jeremy Allen White often draws comparisons to the legendary Gene Wilder due to his magnetic screen presence and curly blonde hair.
“The Bear” star isn’t shying away, even if it means potentially accepting the daunting task of portraying the iconic “Young Frankenstein” and “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” actor on the big screen.
According to Deadline, a biopic of Wilder is in the works, but it has not yet been announced who will portray him. White, 35, was asked by Craig Melvin on TODAY on Oct. 7 if she would be interested in the role.
“Absolutely, it’s an honor for me,” White said. “‘Young Frankenstein’ is one of my earliest memories of cinema. ‘Blazing Saddles’ — he was a genius, that would be an honor. I love him, I’ve always loved him. I need to search.”
White bears such a striking resemblance to a young Wilder that it became an internet meme. In an interview with Buzzfeed in 2024, he stated that the two had no relationship.
“I’m not related to Gene Wilder,” White said. “I think a lot of people think I am.”
Director Dito Montiel and writer Jeremy Roth are preparing to create a biopic of Wilder, Deadline reported in June. Wilder died in 2016 at the age of 83.
White’s announcement that he would welcome the role came after he reflected on the weight of portraying real-life figures. He played a young Bruce Springsteen in the 2025 film “Deliver Me From Nowhere.”
“It was a great experience, but it was a lot of pressure,” White said on TODAY about playing The Boss.
The actor admittedly was “a little hesitant” about his latest role in “The Social Reckoning,” as he was playing another real person. He plays former Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz.
“I think I was apprehensive about the idea of going ahead and immediately playing another real person and feeling that responsibility again,” he said. “I guess I wanted my next work to be something that was just me and my own creation, and not feel pressured to do any imitations.”
However, the person who reassured White was Aaron Sorkin, director of “The Social Reckoning.”
White recalled Sorkin’s guidance: “Learn as much as you can, read his book, watch interviews, but don’t feel like you have to do any impersonations.” “Make it your own. So it was the best of both worlds.”