Gossip Girl star Penn Badgley has signed on to play iconic musician Jeff Buckley in an upcoming film about the singer's life.
'Greetings from Tim Buckley' will be directed by co-writer Dan Algrant and chronicles the time leading up to the young singer's performance at his late father's tribute ceremony. It is also speculated that the role will involve a love interest for Buckley, leading up to the events surrounding the ceremony.
Badgley said in a statement "to play a man who was singularly gifted as an artist, greatly misunderstood and mythologized as a human being… It's something very special and sacred. I'm going to give all I can to this project".
Jeff Buckley tragically drowned at the age of 30 after spontaneously deciding to go swimming fully clothed in a channel of the Mississippi River in 1997.
24 year-old Badgley is best-known for the hit tv show 'Gossip Girl', as rock star's son and poet, Dan Humphrey. Badgley also starred in 2010's 'Easy A'. Rumours flew rampant about who would take the role of Buckley, with 'Twilight' actor Robert Pattinson, also 24, being the favourite.
In an interesting twist of events however, there are currently two Buckley-based projects in the works. One is Algrant's picture about the lead-up to the tribute benefit that kick started his career. The other is directed by Jake Scott, famed music documentary maker. Scott's film is being made in conjunction with Buckley’s mother, Mary Guibert, as executive producer and will focus on Buckley’s brief life and career in the spotlight.
Rumours suggest that Pattinson has been very vocal about his desire to play the tragic musician for a number of years, even visiting and spending time with Buckley's mother. So Pattinson may have another shot at playing Buckley in Scott's production.
'Greetings from Tim Buckley' will hit screens in mid-late 2012.
