Pitt Seeks to Immortalize Late Musician Buckley

March 29 -- Brad Pitt has always been a fan of the bleeding heart — a wimpy fisherman, a sad-eyed vampire, and a devoted husband are among his repertoire — but his next role may be the actor's most moving.

Pitt is reportedly interested in portraying the late singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, whose tragic drowning at age 30 in 1997 still resonates with music lovers. According to Spin magazine, the golden-haired actor has worked for several years to make the movie and has even contacted Buckley's mother, Mary Guibert, to get her blessing for the fictional film.

Buckley's character would not be completely biographical, notes Spin columnist Marc Spitz. "It concerns a Buckley-esque character who's referred to as 'The Musician,'" an insider says. "There are a lot of flashback sequences. It's not La Bamba."

Buckley, whose delicate falsetto and musicianship made him a critical favorite, was in Memphis, Tenn., to record an album when he drowned. His father, folk singer Tim Buckley, died of an overdose at 28. Their tragic parallel lives are the focus of a new book, Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley, by music writer David Browne.