Casting Couch: Jeff Buckley
Hollywood Reporter reveals:
Musician Jeff Buckley is getting the biopic treatment. Writer-director Brian Jun, whose Steel City was nominated for the grand jury prize at January's Sundance Film Festival, will write and direct a feature based on the musician's life. The movie is being produced by Buckley's mother, Mary Guibert, and Michelle Sy, who executive produced Finding Neverland.A script won't be ready for months, so they're nowhere near casting. According to Spin Jeff's mom says: "So, now, my friends, you can swing on the chandeliers speculating about which actors will play which parts."
Who would you like to see play the late singer/songwriter? Aside from Missy Elliott?
Posted at 4:10 PM in Casting Couch
Tags: Jeff Buckley
Paul Rudd!
(just take Brian Fantana minus mustache)
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the dude from freaks and geeks who came out in that one movie w/tyrese about west point or some shit. he looks a lot like him.
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Oh snap, you're right yvette...the dude from freaks & geeks probably now more well known for Spiderman 1 + 2!
Too bad I have a Paul Rudd mancrush...
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I vote for Jessica Simpson!! She's quite a fine actress and she can sing and she is a Stereogum Favorite!!
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chris elliott would be a fine choice. i hear dustin diamond is looking for work
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James Franco is the actor's name, and he does look sort of like him, but my money's on William F. Buckley, Jr.
Lord, that man can sing.
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jimmy gnecco from ours. he could handle the singing a la val kilmer/doors.
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i'm with virgil!! i was going to suggest JAMES FRANCO, but virgil beat me to it! i think Franco would be an excellent choice to portray Jeff Buckley in a movie!!!
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The guy from Spiderman is a dead ringer for Buckles -- apologies if that guys is the aforementioned James Franco.
I want to know who's going to play Andy Wallace!
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ELIJAH WOOD!!!!!!!
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this is the worst idea anyone has ever had. EVER.
and with that id like to nominate Rider Strong.
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JAMES FRANCO!!! that guy's a dead ringa for him. also heard brad pitt wanted this role a while ago.
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Am I the only one who thinks this is a dreadful idea.
I mean, really, can't they just leave the guy in peace? Do they have to whore his name for every penny it's worth?
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Ethan Hawke circa 1995 (Before Sunrise) would be a great Jeff Buckley.
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you know who brought the idea to Jeff's mum originally because he wanted to play Jeff.......Brad Pitt.
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no richard, you're not the only one that thinks this.. frankie also thought the same thing, a whole 25 minutes before you.
lol@ "whore his name" btw.
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When the first posthumous live album came out, the back tray photo scared me because it looked IDENTICAL to a picture of me onstage. I've never thought I looked like him but in profile, with our eyes closed, it was scary. Don't think anything on myspace.com/gimbel shows it. I must say that Jeff's mom had the worst breath of anyone I've ever met. Sorry, mom. Take a Luden!
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There's been a script floating around for awhile now, I know Tobey Maguire was really interested in getting it off the ground, but don't know if he wanted to star in it or not. I wonder if they'll make a whole new script now?
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Robert Sean Leornard would be good were he not pushing 40 now...how time flies.
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Buckley's mom sure is riding his name all the way to the bank. It's getting disrespectful.
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Johnny Depp. The movie is going to suck regardless, but Depp is a great actor.
They need to leave Buckley's legacy alone. Either that or put out some more b sides, live shows, demos, fuck making a movie.
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I saw this on MTV news earlier today, was quite surprised, especially as that documentary film ('Amazing Grace') about him was only made a couple of years ago and hasn't been properly released yet. Could mean that there's a crappy Hollywood film and a a good film about him in cinemas at the same time.
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Rob Giles...it would be a bold move to cast an unkown but I think he's the right one for the job.
www.myspace.com/robgilesmusic
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Billy Crudup... then they could have a Buckley-version of Fever Dog in the closing credits.
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Jason Lee. I'm serious.
But James Franco is pretty good, though.
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When is the dead guy from For Squirrels biopic going to come out?
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I was going to suggest Josh Hartnett. But James Franco is an excellent choice.
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Franco's a good choice. Depp is too old. Pitt is too old. Buckley was born in '66 and those two were born in '63...I think that's a little too old to be trying to play a guy who died at age 31. Franco will be 30 in 2008, so I think that dude's got just the right look and age to play him...not too sure if he's got the talent, but I wouldn't take singing into account -- Buckley wasn't Jim Morrisson or even Johnny Cash -- that kind of vocal range doesn't grow on trees. Unless they find some unknown Buckley doppleganger, they're gonna dub the vocals.
If this were Ain't It Cool News, I'd totally suggest Bruce Campbell.
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Didn't Buckley die aged 30 all gaunt and wasted-looking? Brad Pitt is 43 and looking pretty chunky. I'm not seeing it.
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Didn't Buckley die aged 30, all gaunt and wasted-looking? Brad Pitt is 43 and looking pretty chunky. I'm not seeing it.
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I think he shouldn't be played by anyone. the film shouldn't be made
http://www.musictimes.com.au
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A terrible idea, and the dumbest part is that, by most accounts, Buckley didn't live all that interesting a life as far as famous people go: raised by his mom (who will undoubtedly come off as a saint given her producer credit), went to music school, played small solo gigs, got signed, finished one album, toured, worked on a second, drowned, the end. There was no climb out of poverty, only some slight dalliances with drugs, no long decline into obscurity or suicidal depression, no fairy-tale romances... There's just not that much of an arc.
Obviously, the best part of any movie about him would be the music, and we've already got that.
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that is just poor taste. listen to his music to remember him. wtf.
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I would like this movie to not be made.
I seem to recall that when the Buckley biopic was first being talked about - and this was a couple years ago - that it was Brad Pitt who was getting the ball rolling on it, and it was going to be based more on the "Dream Brother" book.
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all you guys are just pissed because when the movie comes out, everyone will pretend that they always thought Jeff was a genuis. In the same way that Ray Charles music and Johnny Cash music is everywhere now, after the movie, "Hallelujah" will be fucking everywhere, "Eternal Life" will be fucking everywhere, "Last Goodbye" will be fucking everywhere...we're going to have to get over the fact he wont just be our guy anymore.
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i gotta say the first name that came to mind is james franco. mentioned already a few times. guy's a dead ringer (no pun intended... well, maybe a wee bit intended). plus he's a decent actor. can't imagine anyone else really fitting the bill... maybe johnny depp could somehow pull it off. maybe...
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why is James Franco all of a sudden such a big deal? Go with someone like Orlando Bloom. He's far more talented than James Franco, and fits the mold a little better being so thin and wirey.
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I'd have to go with james franco. He's a good actor and the resemblance is astonishing!
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I'd have to go with james franco. He's a great actor and the resemblance is astonishing!
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Why is everybody in so much turmoil over whether or not the movie gets made? It's the movie industry. That's what they do...make movies..Sometimes the movies are fictional and sometimes they are based on real people. For those of you that can't seem to grasp that concept, get over it. It doesn't matter what your opinion is about it. If you don't like the idea of it being made then DON'T GO SEE IT. No one will ever know Mary's true motives for making the film. We can only make vain assumptions. earlier someone mentioned something about Jeff's life not being interesting...I beg to differ though. I think his life would make a very interesting movie. If they go on the info from "Dream Brother". I couldn't put that book down after I started reading it. That's just my opinion of course.
As for who should play Jeff...I'm not sure..I might go with James Franco. If you google image Tim Buckley there is this crazy picture of Tim by this plant or something and he looks just like James Franco and Jeff and Tim share very similar characteristics so that's why I would go with James.
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Man, I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees the resemblance between James Franco and Jeff Buckley. They look alike, yeah, but I don't know if James Franco could pull it off. I agree about the Ethan Hawke circa Before Sunrise suggestion. I just don't know. Brad Pitt shouldn't be allowed to make another movie because he did Troy and that sucked and he sucked in it. It'd be weird to see Franco act like Jeff Buckley, but that's who I'd most like to see in the movie. I just hope they don't make whoever gets the role sing for real. Jeff Buckley's voice is one of a kind.
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James Franco looks the most like him but they should definitely use Jeff Buckley's voice and only Jeff Buckley's voice. Anyone else trying to sing like him would be a disgrace.
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james franco definitely. orlando bloom maybe. how about adam levine (maroon 5)-a little scruffier? he has a voice at least
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As ross said on june 30th, Wtf! Jeff buckley is a alternative rock artist, if this movie gets made it will distroy his image and played on the radio all the time.. partly the reason i listen to jeff buckley is because in comparison to the horrid youth bands like greenday, he is really unknown , keeping him unique... lets not destroy this guys image by feeding him alive to the y generation haha...
Someone said eirlyer that if you dont want this movie made, dont see it, but, thats not the case in which most of us dont want this movie to be made, we dont want this movie to be made because, shit how do i say this, it absolutly destroys him.. I DONT WANT HIM TO BECOME SOMEONE WHO IS PLAYED BY EMOTIONAL RECK TEENS IN THEIR BEDROOMS WHILE THEY CRY BECAUSE OF SOME MINUTE FAMILY PROBLEM LIKE MUM WONT LET ME GO TO THE PARTY BECAUSE MY ROOM ISNT CLEAN,,, Fkn Generation y....
The generation y have no respect.. that goes for musicians to... Well i've said this whole thing in pritty bad enlish but i hope i got my point accross
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any comments?
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i think that if jeff were alive, he'd hate the idea of this and he'd be pissed at his mom.
i don't think i'll see this movie. i'll just continue to clutch my copy of dream brother and be complacent with that.
i think that people should boycott this.
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Jeff said in an interview that he WANTED his music remembered. If Jeff wouldn't have drowned, everybody WOULD HAVE known his music. Because his career was so short lived, no one had much of a chance to hear his music. Feeding his music to younger generations is what is going to make his music remembered because if we don't share it, then HOW WILL IT EVER GET PASSED ON? Is a movie the best way to share it? That's debatable. If you consider that television and cinema entertainment is probably the most mainstream sought after form, then yes, that will do the trick on getting his name out there to more people. In turn it might anger some of his fans. It might relieve others. What happens most of the time when a movie about a rock artist comes out is the fans go and see it. If the person had a well known name (Johnny Cash) other people also go and see it. If the name wasn't as well known (Jeff Buckley), there won't be as many people that didn't listen to him going to see the movie. There will be some, but really...some of you are just blowing this whole thing way out of proportion.
....
In my personal opinion, there are already two books out about him. I don't think a movie should be made. However, if that is what will make his music remembered then maybe we should take the opportunity because that was HIS wish.
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....And when I say that was his wish, I mean as his wish for his music to be remembered....Just so there is no confusion there..
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MICHAEL VARTAN!!!
http://imdb.com/name/nm0890232/
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i don't know how i feel about this. (but james franco would be perfect for the role!)
jeff wasn't the type who would want a movie about him made. i do actually agree with whoever said he would be pissed. on the other hand, he did want his music remembered. i think his music is remembered enough. there have been two books written about him, and all of us who listen to him--we love him insanely, love him and appreciate him to no end, and he'll always be remembered by us. always. the thing with jeff is, you either adore him and get an orgasmic experience out of listening to his music, or you don't see anything special about him.
but i CAN see what whoever said about jeff being played in the rooms of teenyboppers would be, well, terrible. (by the way, i'm almost fourteen. =P) i think i would die if teenyboppers decided that jeff was suddenly awesome and put grace and sketches in their CD case next to a my chemical romance CD. jeff would've hated that, too; he loved that people loved his music, but he'd be insulted if he found out that he was only being listened to by wristslitters or people who like... fall out boy, say. remember how insulted he was in dream brother about being compared to michael bolton?
i am really curious about the movie, i have to admit, but i'm not sure i support it. jeff wanted his music to be remembered, not overplayed and killed. so... i guess i'll go with that the movie is a definite no-no, but that won't stop me from seeing it.
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Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, and Billy Crudup all are the only people with the acting talent to do the man justice. Although, I would personally like to see a no name. Someone that doesnt automaticly get you form an opinion in your head. I dont think theres anyone in hollywood who has the voice, at all. im not certain that they will find someone. i wouldnt really mind if they didnt. It would be asking alot.
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Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, and Billy Crudup all are the only people with the acting talent to do the man justice. Although, I would personally like to see a no name. Someone that doesnt automaticly get you form an opinion in your head. I dont think theres anyone in hollywood who has the voice, at all. im not certain that they will find someone. i wouldnt really mind if they didnt. It would be asking alot.
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My first thought would be Jared Leto, but James Franco is a good one too!
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Jeff Buckley is one of a kind. Nobody is going to do him justice. This movie is going to suck ass, and not because of the acting, and the inevitable marketing towards teenage girls, but because WE THE REAL DIEHARD JB FANS... are going to be let down. We've already read the books, and memorized the lyrics to every song, watched every interview on youtube, every documentary, listened to every tribute song by dozens and dozens of fellow artists... and yes, we still want more of him to be readily available, but at what cost? His mystery and intrigue are what comfort me. The ambiguity of his songs is what allows me to connect on my own level... what will this film do?
No good can come of it. People will hype him up, and exploit him, taking away all that makes him such a gem.
Im not going to lie, I will see this movie... but I just hope to god it is done in good taste, and none of what he stood for is ultimately sacrificed. Show him in the independent theaters.... cast a no name actor... let what draws people to this film be the music and his memory. Dont market to the masses, market to the fans. I know they need to make money, but if im driving down the street one day and a bunch of 16 year old punks are cruisin around smoking and listening to corpus christi carol, i might have take my own life in protest.
In conclusion... I dont EVER want to have to defend my love for this man to ANYONE because he becomes uber-mainstream... how I feel is genuine and true. Its pure in its emotion, and I just cannot see how what I feel can be translated and fed to the masses without sugar coating or exagerating the story or the music. Am I wrong? Its just so frustrating!!!!!!!
sorry, i rambled on...
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i want the film, but not through hollywood, please. but make sure it'd reach the philippines. i hope mary would just produce it without any influence on the story. jeff's bandmates, merri cyr, and other closest friends could do better to help in the story.
it's funny how Sketches was released extravagantly, and still the release is controversial (plus the other releases after jeff's death), and then you'd hear that a film is being made... another controversey. i can smell that there's gonna be a highly massive production of Grace and other JB stuff by 2008. i'm so afraid... it's like i'm losing him...
i've read dream brother and watched lots of his documentaries and it touched me enough. though the film won't be based on the book, i'd definitely criticize harshly every scene that i find to be wrong and of injustice. what interests me is if tim buckley would appear (i'm a sucker for him too)... sometimes i wish it was just tim's life to be biopic-ed, only few might care.
no to brad pitt (i appreciate that he's a true fan but tom cruise claims that he's a fan too)!!! mandy moore likes jeff buckley, might she play rebecca or joan? i saw orlando bloom wearing the same v-neck plain white shirt that jeff used to wear, plus the keys hanging on his pants and the boots! does that mean something? i don't want bloom either. johnny depp is very versatile, but the looks don't match (as if it matters). i doubt james franco could do it, i don't know him that much but his face startled me.
whoever does it, i don't want it to be too exaggerrated. i know fans could tell the difference. if his music reaches poseurs, let's just hope that they realize jeff to be special, precious and totally genuine and original among their other favorite musicians. f*ck 'em, otherwise.
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by the way, merri cyr's A Wished-for Song is touching enough too... i envy the people who had their thougths and experiences there... might as well get scenes from that...
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I don't believe for a moment, that Mary(Jeff's Mum)would want a biopic made about her son that wasn't respectful of his memory - since his passing, this woman has worked tirelessly along side Jeff's band & closest friends to preserve his legacy. The whole world deserves to know what a wonderful musician Jeff Buckley was & that our tragedy is that he died too young, with so much more music left in him that we will never hear. As long as the script is accurate & brilliant, the actors (whoever they are) do their subject matter proud & Jeff's wonderful music runs through the film - it should be a fantastic!
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you have all taken my words...i tottaly agree with ethan hawk, and james franco...i watch movies and go, oooh hed play a good jeff, no wait, he would!
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also...i think nobody has the right to critisize, what his mother is chossing to do, especially for selfish rights and the need to not defend your love for him...aand the idea that you dont want all types of people listening to his music....that is rediculous and disgusting...im not sure youre a fan at all..if his life and music has touched you so, you should wish that his beautiful art could do that for another!
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I dont know wether the movie should be made or not, but it would be a fantastic way to let people know about Jeff Buckley, because I think there should be many more people who should know his music. I thought I was the only one who would thought that James Franco was fantastic for the part, so it's fun to know I'm not the only one! I think he was great in tristan and isolde (I think that movie is way underrated, I loved it!). Also, he looks alot like Jeff Buckley. They should dub the voice when he sings, because a movie about Jeff Buckley without the voice wouldn't be about Jeff Buckley really.
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i think the movie should be made for three reasons #1 not enough people know about him #2 so younger generations have a chance to know about him #3 just because...why the fuck not?? he is dead, so sorry ya'll, no matter how we try to hold his music sacred and to ourselves we wouldn't be doing him justice. I mean, it's not like he can put out any new songs. So the best thing we can do for his memory is to spread the word about his music~ and the movie would do that for him. And as for younger generations and radio disgracing him (no pun intended)--that will never happen b/c Jeff Buckley's music will NEVER be considered mainstream or pop in a billion years~ Movie or no movie.
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Oh yeah, i think James Franco should play Jeff (duh!) either him or possibly that kid from Radioflyer and Jurassic Park ~he used to look a lot like Jeff as a kid so maybe he would work. Definately NOT Brad Pitt!
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James Franco should play jeff definately. Hes looks just like him, and is around the age he died. Billy Crudup, Brad pitt, and Johnny Depp are waaay too old to play jeff. Paul Rudd woudnt be bad either...but i dont think he could play jeff. he's gettin old.
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Hi
Always thought Franco would be the best (he looks just like Jeffs dad Tim as well) Looking at some of the screen grabs from Tristan its quite scary.
I doubt that Franco would want to do it though he cant need the money and the budget I doubt would stretch anyhow, they would be better searching for an unknown.
But like most I hope they can it, you cant re-create Jeff it just wont work, these kind of films suck even when done well, Jeff would have hated this I am sure.
We got the music we dont need a film, the music is enough.
Knoxie
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Hi
Always thought Franco would be the best (he looks just like Jeffs dad Tim as well) Looking at some of the screen grabs from Tristan its quite scary.
I doubt that Franco would want to do it though he cant need the money and the budget I doubt would stretch anyhow, they would be better searching for an unknown.
But like most I hope they can it, you cant re-create Jeff it just wont work, these kind of films suck even when done well, Jeff would have hated this I am sure.
We got the music we dont need a film, the music is enough.
Knoxie
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I feel that Ethan Hawke is so versatile with his acting skills that he would fit so right in the starring role. If this weren't possible or not acceptable I sure do agree with "James Franco." Brad Pitt is a great actor but read that he doesn't want to star in the movie just be a part of the production team as he is such a huge fan of Jeff's. There probably is no finer actor around today than Johnny Depp but he is being courted for two other biopics..Queen's Freddy Mercury (yes, hard to believe) and many would like to have him star in the Michael Hutchence biopic "Slide Away" out I think at the end of this year. Orlando Bloom may just be able to do anything he is so talented, I can't see him ever not giving 110% into his work.
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MORGAN FREEMAN
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Good god, people are still posting about this? What a terrible, terrible idea. Poor guy. I would've been curious to see Amazing Grace... if it hadn't been 6 years and counting to get some kind of a DVD out.
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Yes! people are still posting! Personally, I do not need more fuel for the fire of my unhealthy obsession with Jeff Buckley. As we mourn his untimely passing, remember, he mourned his loss of anonymity. He lives forever in his music.
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Constantine Maroulis would be perfect as JB
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james franko is the obvious choice as has been said by many . he looks a ton like him and i personally think he could defiantly pull it off. i think this movie is a great idea because so many people dont even know who jeff buckley was, and they need to. His life was a mystery. but i do think that if this does happen it should be done poorly. i think that this movie needs to reach into the very depths of Jeff's soul and if possible figure out what he was all about. his music is incredible. it can not even be defined by time. there was something deferent and special about him and he needs to be glorified to the public.
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Ok, James Franco is the clear choice. His reputation is not so big that it will overshadow the movie. If they cast Orlando Bloom then he will attract teeny girls who have no idea what they are viewing. Brad Pitt did not want to play Jeff, he wanted only to produce the movie. Jeff Buckley was a short guy, so is James so the "stringy" thought doesn't hold up. James Franco won an Emmy Award a few years ago for playing James Dean in a biopic...he can act. Like I said before, a BIG actors name will overshadow the film...James is the right choice. I encourage you to do an image search on google. Jamie Foxx, Jaquine Pheonix? A-List actors cannot make bio films successful.
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I AM 30 YRS OLD...JEFF HAS BEEN MY HERO FOR ALOT OF YEARS AND HIS DEATH IN MY OPINION WAS AMONG THE MOST STUNNING LOSSES MUSIC HAS EVER SEEN...
NOW THE MOVIE: I HEARD BRAD PITT WANTED THE ROLE. I ALSO HEARD MARY GUIBERT WAS NOT ABOUT TO LET THAT HAPPEN. I COULD NOT AGREE MORE. IN FACT
I THINK IT WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE FACE CUZ...
LET'S FACE IT PEOPLE BRAD PITT DOES NOT SING LIKE JEFF-TALK LIKE JEFF & MOST CERTAINLY DOES NOT LOOK ANYTHING LIKE JEFF SO PLEASE MOVE ON.
P.S.
MY VOTE IS ALSO FOR JAMES FRANCO.
BUT WHOEVER GETS IT, PLEASE DO JEFF JUSTICE OR YOU WILL SUFFER...
THANX.
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Can Franco even play guitar? Actor Lucas Babin would be perfect looks-wise and is also a singer/guitarist with similar voice to Jeff
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Stuart Townsend would be great for the part, he has passion and has mystic!
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NEVER orlando bloom, he's gay..and a terrible actor too man. I've always thought buckley reminded me of james dean.. If anyone is to portray Jeff, better be james franco - he's delicious. But he can't sing the part can he??hm
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don't think singing is the issue really
whoever gets the part will have to have jeffs voice over dubbed i think
friend of mine knows a guy in ireland called kriz
dead ringer for jeff and hes a musician to
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Always thought Franco would be the best choice also! Or even Brendan Fehr? Looks similar at least. Both actors have that slightly moody look.
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It is amazing that the collective consciousness of Jeff Buckley's fans have all vizualized the correct choice for portraying our beloved Jeff...JAMES FRANCO!!!!!!(If the selection process includes candidates such as Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, or > or =, the only choice that makes sense has got to be Franco. Check out Spider Man 3, he wears a halo... Franco is the only actor that can bring Jeff Buckley to life again.
Vee & Lee
, and there is no greater role for him to achieve his own destiny, as
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And one more thing- to the guy who posted that it's a bad idea to make a movie about Jeff Buckley, stating that his life wasn't all that interesting for a movie... he doesn't understand that the only way that this movie will be an artistic success is if a script is written based upon the INNER life of Jeff Buckley- the inner struggle which revealed much forshadowing of his untimely death.
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Jimmy Gnecco from the band Ours! He was friends with Jeff and was rumored to have mentored with him. Later Jimmy denied ever having that sort of relationship with Jeff. Jimmy's voice/range eerily mirrors Buckley's. He looks so much like him as well, a hint in why the band failed. There were too many comparisons to the late/greatest Jeff Buckley. For all of you Buckely fans out there that don't know about the band Ours, please check them out and realize there is a man out there who shares the same passion, cheek bones, and 8 octave range as the greatly missed legend, Jeff Buckley.
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