Star of US hit TV show Gossip Girl Penn Badgley has won the race to portray Jeff Buckley in a forthcoming biopic of the late songwriter, according to Hollywood Life.
The publication quotes a source claiming actor Robert Pattinson, who had previously been considered as the front-runner for the role, has been beaten at the final post.
“Robert Pattinson is devastated he’s lost out on the one role he really wanted,” the source claims. “It was down to Rob, James Franco and Penn for the part, and Rob was really pushing himself to get it.”
Previously, Jeff Buckley’s mother, who is also acting as an executive producer for the project, had talked up Pattinson’s chances, saying: “Robert is a fine young actor. I’m flattered he’s been linked to this project. When the time comes we’ll give everybody an opportunity to be seen and heard.”
Best known for his classic 1994 debut, and sadly only, full album ‘Grace‘, which contained the enduring cover of Leonard Cohen‘s ‘Halleujah‘, Buckley’s tragic death, caused by accidental drowning, occurred on May 29th, 1997.