Penn Badgley to Play Jeff Buckley?

UPDATE: Producer Orion Williams has denied that Badgley has been cast. For details, click here.

Gossip Girl star Penn Badgley has reportedly beaten teen heartthrob and Twilight star Robert Pattinson for the coveted role of Jeff Buckley in the late singer’s biopic.

A source told Hollywood Life that Pattinson was really upset by the defeat.

“Robert Pattinson is devastated he’s lost out on the one role he really wanted," a source told Hollywood Life. “It was down to Rob, James Franco and Penn for the part, and Rob was really pushing himself to get it. Rob hasn’t heard ‘no’ a lot lately, so he’s really bummed."

An aspiring artist himself, Pattinson went as far as to meet Buckley’s mother, who was rooting for him as well.

Meanwhile, Badgley is reportedly thrilled to move beyond the teen roles he’s played in the past.

No word on when filming is set to begin, but Jake Scott is slated to direct the project.

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