Jeff Buckley, the hauntingly gifted singer-songwriter whose music still captivates listeners, had a complicated relationship with fame. Best known for his transcendent album Grace, Buckley was admired not just for his artistry but also for his striking features—an aspect of his celebrity that he found deeply unsettling. The new Sundance documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley delves into his inner conflict, including his visceral reaction to being named in PEOPLE magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” issue. Through heartfelt interviews and unseen moments, the film paints a portrait of an artist at odds with the image the world projected onto him.
The PEOPLE Magazine Moment: A Painful Recognition
When Buckley was included in PEOPLE’s famous “50 Most Beautiful People” issue, he didn’t celebrate the honor—instead, he recoiled from it. Rather than embracing the spotlight, he was overwhelmed by a sense of discomfort, feeling that such attention clashed with his artistic ethos.
Joan Wasser, a fellow musician and Buckley’s former girlfriend, recalls just how much the recognition unsettled him. In the documentary, she shares an image of the magazine where Buckley had scribbled the words “Kill me” across the page—a stark testament to his deep embarrassment. It was a moment that laid bare his disdain for superficial fame.
Determined to bury the feature, Buckley went to extraordinary lengths to keep it from being seen. He reportedly spent hundreds of dollars buying up as many copies of the magazine as he could find, desperately trying to erase what felt like an unwanted distortion of his identity. This moment, captured in It’s Never Over, perfectly encapsulates his lifelong struggle between artistic purity and public recognition.
The Battle Between Fame and Authenticity
Buckley’s discomfort with being admired for his looks was just one facet of his broader struggle with fame. It’s Never Over explores how he constantly wrestled with the tension between staying true to his music and navigating the commercial pressures that came with success.
Raised by a single mother and largely estranged from his father, folk legend Tim Buckley, Jeff’s early life was shaped by adversity and a longing for sincerity. This deep-rooted need for authenticity often clashed with the realities of his growing stardom. The documentary examines how his relentless perfectionism and imposter syndrome made him question whether he truly deserved the acclaim he received.
Though praised by fellow musicians and revered by fans, Buckley often found himself feeling more isolated than validated by their admiration. His paradox was clear: he wanted his music to be heard but struggled with the fame that came with it. This inner turmoil became a defining theme in both his life and his career.
A Brief Life, A Lasting Impact
Despite his personal struggles, Buckley’s influence on music remains profound. His 1994 album Grace is still celebrated as one of the most emotionally powerful records of its time. Tragically, he was in the midst of working on his next album when his life was cut short in 1997 by an accidental drowning.
The documentary highlights the bittersweet nature of his legacy—an artist who left behind just one completed studio album yet influenced generations of musicians. Conversations with his mother, Mary Guibert, and close friends underscore the sense of unfinished brilliance that lingers around his story.
Brad Pitt, a longtime admirer of Buckley who once considered portraying him in a biopic, helped produce It’s Never Over through his company, Plan B Entertainment. His involvement reflects the lasting intrigue surrounding Buckley’s life—a narrative of unparalleled talent, vulnerability, and the pursuit of artistic integrity in an industry that often demands compromise.
Jeff Buckley’s refusal to embrace conventional fame and his deep internal conflicts make for a gripping and tragic story. It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley is a poignant reminder of the complexities of artistic genius and the sacrifices that come with it. Even decades after his passing, Buckley’s voice continues to resonate—not as a face in a magazine, but as a timeless echo of raw, unfiltered emotion.
