Penn Badgley will indeed be playing the role of Jeff Buckley in an upcoming film featuring the late singer-songwriter, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
However, this is not the same Jeff Buckley film that Badgley was rumored to have been involved with last week. You know, the one that the "Gossip Girl" star had supposedly been chosen for over Robert Pattinson.
That film, which still doesn't have its Buckley, is currently untitled. This film, in which Penn Badgley has officially been cast as Buckley, is called "Greetings From Tim Buckley."
"Greetings From Tim Buckley" chronicles the days leading up to Jeff Buckley’s 1991 appearance at his father’s tribute concert in St. Ann’s Church. Through a romance with a young woman working at the concert, he comes to understand the father who abandoned him and his cathartic performance launches his career.
Patrick Milling Smith of Smuggler Films, the production company behind the project, apparently couldn't be happier about the casting of Badgley:
"We had been searching well over a year for an actor that can come close to Jeff's spirit while also having the serious musical chops required to authentically tell this story. Penn's audition blew us away and we knew we found our star."
Meanwhile, the role of Jeff Buckley in the currently untitled biopic that's set to be directed by Jake Scott and produced by Orian Williams is still uncast. Williams went on the record last week to say that neither Badgley nor Pattinson were involved with that project, though he did say that he had "met with" the latter gentleman.
Which means RPattz could still get that one.
Got all that? It starts to make sense the more you talk about it...
Meanwhile, Penn Badgley is probably best known for his role as Dan Humphrey on "Gossip Girl." His film credits include "John Tucker Must Die," "The Stepfather" and "Easy A." And we think he will make a fine Jeff Buckley... in one of the Jeff Buckley movies currently in the works.
"Greetings From Tim Buckley" will begin production in New York City this August.
