August 16, 2011 11:56

Spider-Man actor Reeve Carney cast as Jeff Buckley in biopic

Star of accident-prone musical beats Robert Pattinson to the lead role

Photo: PA

Reeve Carney, the actor currently starring as Peter Parker in the Broadway musical version of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, has been cast as Jeff Buckley in the much discussed biopic of the singer's short life.

Speculation about who would play Buckley has continued for years, with Twilight star Robert Pattinson and Milk star James Franco all thought to be in the frame at one time, but it has been announced today (August 16) that Carney has been tapped to play the singer.

The biopic, which will look at the singer's life right up until his death at the age of 30, is being executive produced by Buckley's mother Mary Guibert.

Guibert said of Carney's casting:

We are over the moon that Reeve has agreed to take on this challenging role. He's been getting ready for this all his life. It certainly doesn't hurt that he looks so much like Jeff.

The film's director Jake Scott, who has previously been behind the camera on Plunkett And Macleane and Welcome To The Rileys, said of the actor: "We are excited to have found in Reeve the perfect combination of musical prodigy, impish charm, innate intelligence and sensitivity to play Jeff."

Shooting is expected to begin next year.