Jeff Buckley biopic gets a leading man: Penn Badgley

(CBS) "Gossip Girl" star Penn Badgley has snagged the leading role in a biopic about singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley.

The film, "Greetings from Tim Buckley," chronicles the days leading up to his 1991 performance at a tribute concert for his father. Through a romance with a young woman working at the concert, he comes to understand the father who abandoned him, and the performance launches his career.

This is one of two Buckley biopics planned. The other is based on David Browne's biography "Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley," It is expected to cover more of his career, although few detaiks are available. Mentioned as possible leads have been Jared Leto, James Franco and Robert Pattinson.

"To play a man who was singularly gifted as an artist, greatly misunderstood and mythologized as a human being...It's something very special and sacred. I'm going to give all I can to this project," Badgley said in a statement.

"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," producer Patrick Smith added in a statment. "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."

James Franco and Robert Pattinson were also reportedly up for the role.