Discuss: Who Would You Cast as Jerry Garcia?

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on November 12, 2008

Jerry Garcia Biopic in the Works

The Hollywood trades are reporting this morning that producers Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa and Eric Eisner have signed on to produce a biopic of Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia. The film will be aimed at giving a revealing look at the music icon, with a focus on Garcia’s leading of a counterculture movement. And while I am too young to have ever been a “Dead Head,” we do have this information from The Hollywood Reporter:

The untitled project will focus primarily on Garcia’s early life in the Bay Area before he joined the band that would become the Grateful Dead — a period that includes a stint in the military, a life-changing car accident and his first creative encounters with members of the Northern California music scene including future Dead bassist Phil Lesh.

Michael StegerWhile I don’t claim to be an expert on Garcia, I am sure that there are some of you out there who do know a lot about the man. As well, I am sure that there are some of you out there who have read Robert Greenfield’s book “Dark Star,” the book upon which this biopic will be based. And with that in mind, I am curious to see who you might cast in as a young Jerry Garcia.

In a different time I would suggest Jeff Bridges, but his time has really passed on a role like this — especially considering the fact that this will be a story about Garcia’s younger years. A few other suggestions would be Entourage star Adrian Grenier, but I would say that he lacks that rugged quality that Garcia had. If this project were at Dreamworks, which it is not, golden boy Shia LaBeouf might be an easy choice — but its hard to say whether he would be able to pull it off. Another actor who really has the look is 90210 star and former Disney channel regular Michael Steger, who is pictured to the right. Just imagine that kid with a full Garcia beard — it could work. Those are just a few of my suggestions; time for you to weigh in.

Who would you cast as Jerry Garcia in a biopic of the singer’s younger years?


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  • Troy
    I would cast nobody. Because no one would see it.
  • aaron
    Teddy Geiger.
  • I vote for Jaden Smith.
  • emile hirsch. maybe.
    that's a tough one.
  • Josh
    Jack Black, duh.
  • Jonah
    James Franco or Martin Starr.
  • i agree, nobody's gonna watch it except Deadheads.

    but Emile Hirsch would be a good casting choice. Love him.
  • Give it another twenty years or so so that he looks a LOT younger, and I think the casting choice is obvious: Eddie Van Halen.

    Oh, wait--which way does time go?

    Seriously, though.
  • bebe
    ya know shia's pops looks like a total dead head
    so if shia grew his jewfro out i could kinda see it
  • killa
    are u serious about shia or was that like a witty joke? shia's certainly dirty enough but he's a little on the wispy side. james franco could do it, he's got the stoned thing down. seth rogen?
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