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New York, NY (June 20, 2011) – Smuggler Films announced today Penn Badgley will star in the much anticipated film Greetings from Tim Buckley. He will play Tim Buckley’s son Jeff in the first film to be made about the musicians. There has been much speculation regarding the casting of Jeff Buckley as many of Hollywood’s hottest stars were interested in playing one of the most remarkable music artists of his generation. Greetings from Tim Buckley was written by Dan Algrant, Emma Sheanshang and David Brendel and will be directed by Dan Algrant (People I Know, Naked in New York).
Greetings from Tim Buckley follows the true story of the days leading up to Jeff Buckley’s eminent 1991 performance 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. Culminating in a cathartic performance of his father’s most famous songs, Jeff’s debut stuns the audience and launches his career as one of the greatest young musicians of his time.
Penn Badgley said, “To play a man who was singularly gifted as an artist, greatly misunderstood & mythologized as a human being… It’s something very special and sacred. I’m going to give all I can to this project.”
Patrick Milling Smith of Smuggler Films. “In its purest form this is a father and son story, a rite of passage that is made possible by a romantic journey Jeff finds himself on. We see Jeff accepting who he is to become and laying to rest the ghost of his father while ultimately finding his voice. 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.”
Greetings from Tim Buckley is in preproduction and will start shooting this August in New York City. Production entities behind the movie are SMUGGLER Films, A-Z productions and Second Chance productions. The film is being produced by Patrick Milling Smith, John N. Hart (Revolutionary Road, You Can Count On Me), Fred Zollo (Quiz Show, Mississippi Burning). Executive Producers are Brian Carmody, Jill Footlick (Boys Don’t Cry, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee) and Ben Limberg. Director of Photography is Andrij Parekh (Blue Valentine, Half Nelson). Casting Director Avy Kaufman.
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Im excited by this. Heard Penn sing and he does have the chops
Should have been Reeve Carney. Can sing beautifully and looks eerily like Jeff. And this is coming from someone who knew him.
YES!!!!!!! Hallelujah!
Oh thank god Robert Pattinson is not in the film: Footface can’t act nor can he sing.
JSM. (Just Shoot Me)
WCEEMBLIS. (Worst Casting Ever Except Maybe Blake Lively In Savages.)
HMAPBTOFTH? (How Many Actors Passed Before They Offered It To Him?)
Sorry but I completely agree. Penn Badgley is a HORRIBLE, one note actor. He has never shown to portray anything, except the same schtick he does on that Gossip Girl show.
Robert Pattinson would also be horrible for this, but he is one step up on this guy.
Besides, this Jeff Buckley movie is supposed to have the weakest story of the two. Bad script, bad casting, guess Im seeing the other biopic.
The other one has been stalling for years and is in development hell, maybe this one will finally give it a push? Regardless, I’d rather see this one solely because it’s about him before he’s famous, an approach I think works in this projects favor. As for everyone trashing on the casting, does anyone remember Michelle Williams and her resume during Dawson’s Creek. Now everyone wants her. It’s called thinking outside the box.
except she took film roles (including while still on DC) that showcased a range. Any film badgley as been in he is terrible. As stated above, he does the same character in every movie that he does on GG.
This is a totally different project from the real “Jeff Buckley Biopic” that Jake Scott is directing.
Jake Scott and directing shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence. Just cause daddy does it doesn’t mean you can too.
Tragic. Jeff Buckley had SOUL.
What happened to Franco??? Package not there unfortunately.
I hear Jeff’s mother had the last word in casting. I’ve not seen this actor in anything but I look forward to watching him in this movie; as for Pattinson, directors who’ve auditioned him don’t hire him for his acting chops, or lack thereof, but rather for his ability to finance the film. For now anyway. Post 2012 when the last Twilight saga fiasco is put to rest, so will his acting career – outside of indie films, that is.
Jeff Buckley never had a tan like Penn Badgley in this photo.
I’ve never heard of Smuggler films and have no idea who that director is. I was hoping they’d shoot a little higher with maybe a name studio behind it like Focus or Sony Classics.
This project as it stands won’t be able to gain the widespread and worldwide attention that his music so richly deserves.
Heard of Boys Dont Cry and Revolutionary Road?
This project will fail worse than the Gotti biopic. Penn Badgley, are you kidding me? No one from that TV show (Gossip Girl) can act. Same with the Twilight series.
oh please. who can “act” when they’re working with teen drama material? you’re basically saying johnny depp or mark wahlberg should have never been given a chance to work in film.
the tan is not very buckley but i hope they can fix that! I want to see Badgley get a chance. I hope they give it to him. Who knows. Apparently he is a great singer and Leo’s GF seemed to think he was great. I’m interested enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. Have not watched Gossip Girl but no one stands a chance at acting in shows like that.
This was always going to be an art-house no box office movie so shocked they didn’t go with an unknown. Just smells of a project to jump-start Penn’s music career and to sell some soundtracks. Have nothing against him as an actor but in the 4 things I have seen him in ( gossip girl and 3 movies ) he’s ALWAYS the same guy. Hard time picturing him playing the troubled soul that was Jeff Buckley.
I’m curious. I suppose I’ve never watched anything of his and thought “he’s godawful”. But I hope they saw something in him during casting. We’ll see.
The movie will go nowhere, I think every hot actor has backed off of either of these buckley projects
Buckleys noteworthy song is from Leonard Cohen who is iconic, buckley is not, and isn’t worthy of even one biopic. PR team of Penn is really running with this, and pushing hard.
You may be right about the movie and you are definitely right about Leonard Cohen being an icon but you’re wrong about Buckley. He was over-looked in an era of grunge this and grunge that, over looked by everyone but Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan… I could go on but what really matters is his music is revolutionary. If you’re a musician, I highly recommend checking out the sheet music to Lover You Should’ve Come Over or better yet just listen to it, it speaks louder than any Movie can.
not hot enough.
FAIL casting. Penn is one of the worst actors on Gossip Girl. He does not deserve this role.
SO MUCH BULLSHIT…AUDITIONING ACTORS…CASTING DIRECTOR WHEN ASKED DIRECTLY SAYS ‘THEY WANT AN UNKNOWN FACE”’
AND AS USUAL…HOLLYWOOD WASTES THE TIME OF EVERYONE BUT THE ‘BIG FOUR’ AND DASHES THE DREAMS OF ACTORS
No hot actors have chased this project. First off there are 2 Jeff Buckley projects. This one the script happens to be unreadable. You could have sailed a cruise ship through this role as far as stars were concerned. It’s more like a win by default, Penn. Whoever drafted this press release should be fired.
i can’t tell if this is a real opinion or the other camp angry? whatever people, by the looks of it, two very different movies are being made. just choose which one or neither when they come out. these comments are so transparent.
No hot actors have chased this project. First off there are 2 Jeff Buckley projects. This one the script happens to be unreadable. You could have sailed a cruise ship through this role as far as stars were concerned. It’s more like a win by default, Penn. Whoever drafted this press release should be fired.
This guy is talented. Give him a chance. He can sign, he can play piano, guitar, drums. Penn is a really nice man, I hope he succeed.
I think it’s hard for a lot of people to imagine a tv actor transitioning into a serious part, but we’ve seen it done so many times. I imagine Michelle Williams was met with the same resistance but look at her career now.
I’m not worried about Badgley. I actually think he’s solid (also easier on my eyes than Pattinson or Franco). But in terms of the movies themselves, I’m just excited to finally see this Buckley movie be made.
this…….is………AWESOME!!! Can’t wait!
I don’t accept CW performers in seemingly legitimate films. Just don’t. Please stop, agents.
As expressed before with the Michelle Williams example, let’s give someone the opportunity to act in a role with some definition and difficulty to the character. This wasn’t an attempt to jump start his music career (wow to whoever said that). Penn has the ability to deliver in this role on multiple levels and that’s what makes him a potentially great casting choice. Judging him on Gossip girl and stepfather seems counter intuitive. I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people.
Penn is actually an amazing choice and I look forward to him blowing away the doubters! He is a vastly more talented actor than the middling scripts for “Gossip Girl” allow him to ever show. He is quite terrific holding his own on screen with some very big name actors in the upcoming “Margin Call”. I’ve heard him sing and play and he is fantastic, incredibly soulful and thoughtful. And no I’m not his agent…ha! Just someone who has had the chance to work with him and seen first hand that he possesses a deeper well of talent than he has been given the opportunity to show thus far. Keep in mind Ryan Gosling was on “Mickey Mouse Club”, “Breaker High” and “Young Hercules” before being given the chance to prove how gifted he actually is. I see Penn in the same light, can’t wait! Congratulations.