Brad Pitt Wanted to Play Jeff Buckley in a Biopic but the Musician’s Mom Nixed It — Here’s Why

Brad Pitt once explored the possibility of starring in a biopic about Jeff Buckley, a talented and promising musician who died in 1997 at the age of 30.

Buckley’s mother, Mary Guibert, revealed that Wolves star, 61, asked her permission to make the biopic after inviting her to his wedding to Jennifer Aniston in 2000, which she quickly approved.

“If 20 people call you, and Brad Pitt is one of them, who will you choose?” Guibert told Variety with a laugh, though she admitted she’s still hesitant to move forward with the film.

“‘We’ll dye your hair, put brown contacts on those baby blues, and you’ll open your mouth and Jeff’s voice will come out?’ she recalled asking Pitt.

Jeff Buckley 1994

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Guibert said the couple stayed in touch over the years — even after she ultimately decided not to pursue the biopic idea and instead make a documentary honoring the life of her only son, who is best known for his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah ” and the album from 1994 Grace.

During the process of making the documentary, Guibert said she had Pitt’s support, as he helped preserve all of Buckley’s belongings and transfer them into the digital space. He even became a film producer, the so-called It’s never over, Jeff Buckleyby variety.

She also had the help of director Amy Berg — best known for her documentary work on West of Memphis — who took over the project. She told Variety that she shares Guibert’s vision for the film.

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Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley. David Tonge/Getty

“When I started listening to his voicemails and his DAP player and his demos and reading his journals, I just couldn’t imagine it being anything but a documentary,” Berg explained. “I just didn’t know how you could replicate Jeff in that script sense.”

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One of the things the new documentary will shed light on is Buckley’s death. Berg told Variety that there is an idea that “Jeff probably overdosed, which is far from the truth,” noting that his death has been attributed to drowning in the Memphis River. She said the late singer’s legacy is one that transcends time.

“One of the great things about Jeff Buckley is that you discover him when you’re meant to discover him,” Berg said. “He’s definitely made a big impact on TikTok, where I was surprised to see that he has more followers on Jeff Buckley’s hashtag than even Bob Dylan. He definitely has another moment in pop culture history.”

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It’s never over, Jeff Buckley premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24.

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Source: HIS Education

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