Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong will make his debut as a lead actor in an upcoming film called Ordinary World, according to various online reports. He will play a father named Perry whose dream of being a punk singer—something Armstrong does know a thing or two about—is abandoned as he turns 40. (“Daddy, it’s career day. What do you do?”) Armstrong has reportedly been preparing for the role for two years.
In an unrelated announcement on Sunday (September 18) Green Day revealed that they had to postpone three of the first four dates of their upcoming tour and cancel one altogether, all due to illness affecting several members of the band and its crew. The postponed dates are: St. Louis, MO on September 20, Chicago, IL on September 21 and Detroit, MI on September 24. The show in Toronto, ONT on September 23, where they were due to appear at the World Cup of Hockey Fan Village, has been canceled. Schedule permitting, Green Day will make up the other three shows, and tickets will be honored at the new dates.
“We’re so sad to announce we have to postpone three shows and cancel Toronto,” the band’s announcement said. “Many of us have been battling this infection for days on end to be ready, and it just got the best of us”
Armstrong has written the title track for Ordinary World, which was originally slated to be called Geezer. The song will also appear on Green Day’s forthcoming new album, Revolution Radio, set for release October 7 on Reprise Records.
Related: Green Day to release new album, Revolution Radio
Ordinary World premiered at Tribeca Film Festival, at which Armstrong and Green Day’s Tre Cool played a surprise show with Joan Jett, who also makes an appearance in the movie. The film will be released in theaters on October 14 via Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Content Group, followed by a DVD and digital download on October 17. Armstrong’s co-stars in the film include Fred Armisen and actress Selma Blair.
Armstrong already has several acting credits, including appearances in the TV show Nurse Jackie and the films This Is 40 and Like Sunday, Like Rain. He also appeared briefly on Broadway as St. Jimmy in the musical American Idiot, the hit show based on Green Day’s best-selling album of that title.
Watch Billie Joe Armstrong in the trailer for Ordinary World
Armstrong also opened up recently about his drug problems, for which he entered rehab in 2012. “The thing about someone who’s losing their mind is that they don’t know they’re losing their mind,” he told England’s Q magazine. “I thought my life was completely normal. And it wasn’t. I was on drugs! And people aren’t acting rationally when they’re on drugs. So I had to take care of myself. I had to kick that, and I did. Then we took a long break which was totally necessary.”
Green Day 2016-17 Tour Schedule (Tickets are available here and here.)
09/26 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
09/28 Sayreville, NJ Starland Theater
09/29 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theatre
10/01 Boston, MA House of Blues
10/03 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
10/08 New York, NY Webster Hall
10/17 Los Angeles, CA Palladium
10/20 Berkeley, CA UC Theatre
01/10 Turin, Italy Pala Alpitour
01/11 Florence, Italy Mandela Forum
01/13 Bologna, Italy Unipol Arena
01/14 Milan, Italy Mediolanum Forum
01/16 Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadion
01/18 Manheim, Germany SAP Arena
01/19 Berlin, Germany Mercedes Benz Arena
01/25 Oslo, Norway Spektrum
01/27 Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm Globe
01/28 Malmo, Sweden Malmo Arena
01/30 Cologne, Germany Lanxesse Arena
01/31 Amsterdam, Holland Ziggo Dome
02/02 Brussels, Belgium Forest National
02/03 Paris, France Accorhotels Arena
02/05 Leeds, UK Leeds First Direct Arena
02/06 Manchester, UK Manchester Arena
02/08 London, UK London The O2
06/23 Scheeßel, Germany Hurricane Festival
06/24 Tuttlingen, Germany Southside Festival
Watch the video for “Bang Bang” from Revolution Radio
