Why Jeff Buckley Rejected the Spotlight: His Surprising Reaction to PEOPLE’s ’50 Most Beautiful’ Issue

Jeff Buckley had a complicated relationship with fame. The talented singer-songwriter passed away suddenly at just 30 years old. Throughout his brief career, he found it difficult to manage his success and the superficial aspects of being a star.

A new documentary, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. It sheds light on the struggles Buckley faced with his rising fame. One poignant moment was when he made PEOPLE magazine’s list of “50 Most Beautiful People.” Buckley’s former girlfriend, Joan Wasser, shares how embarrassed he felt about this recognition. She still has a copy of his magazine page, on which he wrote, “Kill me.”

Wasser recounts a memorable trip where Buckley bought every magazine he could find with his picture, spending a fortune to prevent others from seeing it. This incident highlights his discomfort with being in the spotlight.

Directed by Amy Berg, the documentary features heartfelt interviews with his former partners and his mother, Mary Guibert. It explores Buckley’s life, including his accidental drowning in 1997. The film touches on his difficult childhood, raised by a young mother and an absent father, and it delves into his mental health challenges and struggles with imposter syndrome, particularly when praised by peers.

Despite his struggles, Buckley left a lasting impact with his music. He released only one studio album, Grace, in 1994, which gained fame in Europe and had moderate success in the U.S. At the time of his death, he was working on a second album. Interestingly, Brad Pitt once wanted to portray Buckley in a movie and produced this documentary through his company, Plan B Entertainment.

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