Jeff Buckley’s Mom Reveals Why She Refused Brad Pitt a Role in His Biopic

In a candid new interview, Mary Guibert, the mother of legendary musician Jeff Buckley, shared the surprising reason why she refused Brad Pitt the role of her late son in the planned biopic about the guitarist. Despite Pitt’s significant involvement in the project, Guibert made it clear that the award-winning actor would not be playing Buckley.

Guibert explained to Variety that although Brad Pitt is one of the most recognized and beloved actors in Hollywood, she had to decline his request to play the role of her son, who tragically drowned in 1997 at the age of 30. Laughing, Guibert stated, “If there’s 20 people calling you, and Brad Pitt is one of them, who are you gonna pick to go see?”

The biopic idea had first been pitched to Guibert by Pitt in the early 2000s, when the actor reached out formally to request permission to create the film. Guibert, who had initially agreed to the project, later reflected on her conversation with Pitt about why he wasn’t a suitable choice to portray Jeff Buckley.

In a memorable moment, she recalled telling Pitt, “We’re going to dye your hair, put brown contact lenses on those baby blues, and you’re going to open your mouth and Jeff’s voice is going to come out?” Guibert’s decision was ultimately based on the difficulty of matching Pitt’s persona with the essence of Jeff Buckley, both visually and musically.

Although the biopic was never made, Guibert found another way to honor her son’s memory. She decided to move forward with a documentary instead, titled It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley. The documentary, which explores Buckley’s life and legacy, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2025. Despite her decision to take the documentary route, Guibert maintained a close relationship with Pitt throughout the years, with the actor offering his help in preserving Buckley’s personal belongings and digitizing his work.

Pitt’s involvement didn’t end with the documentary’s production; he also took on the role of producer for the project, showing his ongoing support for Buckley’s legacy. The documentary, while different from the biopic, is a tribute to the lasting influence of Jeff Buckley’s music, and fans are eager to see how it explores the life of one of the most influential artists of his generation.