Jeff Buckley... as played by Robert Pattinson?

A biopic on legendary musician Jeff Buckley, who drowned in 1997 at the age of 30, is a go. And rumor has it that angsty British actor Robert Pattinson is a frontrunner for the role.

(Image credit: Corbis/ Facebook)

last updated 8 January 2015

In 1997, Jeff Buckley, a soulful, handsome musician on the rise, drowned in a Tennessee river. He was 30. His 1994 album, Grace, was hailed by many critics as one of the year's best. One of the record's tracks, a haunting cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," was named one of the 500 greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone, and musicians from Kurt Cobain to Coldplay have cited Buckley as an influence. Now, the legendary musician's life may finally make it to the big screen. A long-discussed biopic finally has the green light. Jake Scott (son of Ridley Scott) is set to direct, but one key question remains: Who will play Buckley? Twilight's Robert Pattinson has expressed interest before, and his name is being bandied about. Is this a role he could, and should, sink his teeth into?

This is pitch-perfect casting: Pattinson as Buckley is a good fit, says Laurie Perry at Gather. "He is a musician as well as an actor, and he might be able to successfully pull off Buckley's haunting sound." Also, at 24, Pattinson is the right age to play Buckley, who was only 30 years old when he died.

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James Franco would be better: Pattinson would make this film "an instant box office smash," and "he has those deep eyes and a unique tone to his voice," says Emily Abate at The Stir. But, he may have too much Twilight baggage to really make this part his own. "I think that the role deserves someone who doesn't necessarily have an alter-ego," even though "Edward is pretty hunky." Perhaps James Franco, Andrew Garfield, or Jared Leto would be a better option.