Gossip Girl star cast as Jeff Buckley in new biopic

The central role in one of the several, long-awaited films about the life of Jeff Buckley has finally been cast.

The 24 year old Penn Badgely – who plays Dan Humphrey on US TV series Gossip Girl – has won the starring role in Greetings From Tim Buckley, which will follow the story of how the late singer-songwriter grappled with the legacy of his musical father.

The casting decision will likely anger the hardcore Buckley fans, who were no doubt hoping for someone with a better set of acting chops than the relatively unknown Badgley . Names like James Franco and Robert Pattinson had been mentioned in association with the role.

Buckley’s mother Mary Guibert – who has endeavoured to keep her son’s legacy alive since his death – is set to produce an entirely different film about his life, to be directed by Jake Scott, son of Ridley.