When first I heard of this project to turn the Kurt Cobain biography Heavier Than Heaven into a biopic at the urging of Courtney Love, it was in conjunction with Ewan McGregor's name as the actor who might be taking on the role of the Nirvana frontman. Recently the project acquired a production company, so it's definitely happening. But McGregor's name is nowhere to be found.
Instead, there are reports that James McAvoy might be the man who plays the troubled Cobain, a suggestion that I find bizarre. I love McAvoy as an actor and I think he's adorable, but to play Kurt Cobain? He'd make a very elfin grunge rocker, in my opinion.
What do you think about this news? Should McAvoy be cast? Should Ewan McGregor be cast? Should anyone be playing Kurt Cobain in the first place?
McAvoy photo source
S***r
Lola Rose
Fornarina
i've alwys thought they look alike
1I love James McAvoy! It's hard for me to look at him and not see him as Rory O'Shea and cry. ^^ I'd rather he not play Cobain, nor McGregor frankly, but I'm sure he could pull it off with ease. I just...eh....I don't think many people know him yet and I don't want him known as the guy that played Kurt Cobain. Is that selfish? I'd rather it go to someone more obscure.
2Well sooner or later they were going to make a movie. But I don't think this is the right guy. When I went to see Across the Universe the actor Joe Anderson who plays Max would have been great. I think why not make a biopic of Kurt it will probably be boring and inaccurate but why not.
3I love James McAvoy and I think he's got more of an edge these days than MacGregor, who's been doing a lot of silly stuff. Frankly, I'd like to see a grungy American actor... Billy Crudup perhaps?
4I think James can pull it off. He's an amazing actor. I feel in love watching Rory OShea.
5Michael Pitt doesn't really look like Kurt either, and I know Last Days wasn't an official Kurt story, but the resemblance was downright scary in it.
I like Kurt alot, but I doubt I'll be rushing to see this.
Ewan McGregor was amazing as a blonde-haired rocker in Velvet Goldmine. I think he'd do an awesome job as Cobain, but I like McAvoy, too.
6I can totally see it!
7I LOVE Ewan - he'd be great in the role. But this McAvoy kid looks like he would almost look identical to Cobain if he was grunged up a bit.
8I actually like this idea better than MrGregor. Biopics completely rely on casting and the wrong choice can ruin an otherwise great movie... not sure if McAvoy can handle it. I'd like to see an obscure actor surrounded by big names.
9I love James McAvoy and I think he would be fantastic as Kurt Cobain. I am not sure if Ewan McGregor can pull it off.
10I think that James McAvoy is the perfect cast for Kurt Cobain. I've never been a huge fan of Kobain or Nirvana anyway so I kind of don't really care. But McAvoy does really look like Kobain.
11this is a good casting..he does look like him!
12Love Love Love James McAvoy. I think he'll totally mold himself into Kurt and be amazing. Look at the faces in the picture above. Slap some grungy blonde hair on him and a 5 o'clock shadow and you've got Kurt.
13Hmm, Interesting. I liked the idea of Ewan, but now the idea of James is sounding even better.
14I'd be happy with either one. You gotta love James' blue eyes.
15Glynislily, I agree that "Max" from Across the Universe would make an excellent Kurt Cobain.
16Is this the David Benioff project? There's a blurb in the October 19 Hollywood Reporter but nothing about casting. Could be interesting though.
17yeah i think it's a pretty good choice
looking forward to see this!
18I think he actually really looks like him...and Cobain wasn't a big guy, not sure about the elfin comment.
19nah I can't see him play the role!
20I always thought Jared Leto (pre-band days) looked like Kurt Cobain. This McAvoy fellow sounds alright though.
21i have an idea how about no one play him and we can all just let the poor man rest in peace? anyhoo, kurt was kinda elfin himself wasnt he?
22Both Kurt and James are 5'7".... and James is great... I can see him pulling off the grunge look.
23*heights according to imdb (if the information's true)
24I love James McAvoy, he's an amazingly talented young actor and I really think he could pull it off!
25ewan is too old to play cobain (kurt was 27 at death ewan is almost 37), and cobain was a very small man so i think James could pull it off.
26anything james mcavoy does is okay by me.
27I like this casting. James McAvoy is amazing. I loved him in Last King of Scotland; he really deserved an award for that performance.
28I agree that Ewan is a little too old to play Kurt...he'd be great, but I don't think he'd be that believable.
I also think James would be a great choice!
29James McAvoy is my favorite actor and I'm kinda getting tired of seeing him up for every other role out there. I hope he doesn't play this one, just a personal opinion here, he can play better and/or more interesting roles.
30I like James McAvoy but I don't think he would be a good choice. Ewan McGregor would be perfect or Joe Anderson (he played Max in Across the Universe). We know that both Ewan and Joe can actually sing as well.
31He DOES look like him! And Buzz...don't you know that Kurt WAS quite the elfin rocker? He was a small guy!
32Hmmm...I dunno. I like him more in period pieces than grunge, but it's good that he's branching out and not becoming a type-casted actor. I'm sure he'll do a great job as Kurt!
33I am aware that Kurt Cobain was a small guy! I didn't realize my elfin comment would launch so much height discussion, that's not exactly what I meant by "elfin." More that I can't quite picture McAvoy play the troubled grunge rocker that Cobain was.
34Sheesh!
There is no one who could ever replace, mimic or act like Kurt and no one should ever try. this is a horrible mistake to make this movie if for no other reason than the fact that Kurt would be completly against it. also, i dont know who James Macavoy is but, he looks nothing like Kurt and he is a disgrace and an embarassment to every Nirvana fan and the entire Nirvana enterprise. while this book may be a very insightful and indepth analysis of Kurt's life, it should stay just that: a book! also making this movie would only glamourize the music industry, drugs and a very troubled and depressed indivudal who would never have even wanted to be in any way associated with this project. that will be all.
35Sappy, commenting on someone's acting abilities (re McAvoy) when you don't even know who they are is just narrow minded.
Will Smith doesn't look like Ali either, but he did one heck of a job playing him.
I fail to see how this disgraces and embarrasses him, his fans, or the "enterprise". If anything disgraces Kurt Cobain, it is the fact that as a father, he blew his head off, leaving a daughter to live with that fact.
36I loved Kurt, but he was only a drug addicted rock star. I believe, had he lived, he would have faded away like many other grunge rockers, instead of forever living in the glow of obsessed fans.
Cobain was this very complex being that people THINK they understand, but they normally don't even come close.. I agree with Sappy that Cobain wouldn't want a movie made about him..he hated the stardom.. But at the same time, Sappy is wrong about McAvoy coz he's a very good actor.. And Jinx, it is clear that you have no idea what kind of person Cobain is.. From all that I've read about him, he never wanted to be remembered or idolized or anything like that.. And only god knows the pain and misery he went through and I don't think he ever wanted to leave his daughter.. His death may not even have been suicide in the first place..! I think people should just stop judging Kurt.. The way he grew up and all, there really was no one to guide him and help him deal with things.. He's not just a drug addicted rockstar!!! There's more to him than that!
37I like Kurt Cobain alot but I'm not blinded. I doubt Kurt would want an unauthorized movie made about him, same as just about anyone. But when you lived a life such as Kurt's and go out in the fashion he did, it seems inevitable.
38I believe that Kurt Cobain killed himself, and I have tried to find out alot about it. People just love a rock star death conspiracy, but for the most part, they are false. In all probability Kurt committed suicide, as much as many people would love to blame Courtney Love.
I agree, there was much more to Kurt, as there is many drug addicts. But he allowed himself to sink into a drug induced excuse for a life, and you lose yourself, and he did.
Kurt was special, I would just love to see where he would be if he had lived. The grunge scene passed, it would have been interesting to see whether he reinvented himself, or what direction he took, but he is dead.
And I will gladly watch James McAvoy play the part.
The acting talent is there
The looks are there 
I wonder about the accent ;P
39i've never scene this actor in a movie or hear him talk so idk if he has an accent or not. i am a HUGE ewan mcgregor fan, but he shouldn't play kurt. he has an brittish accent and his singing voice isn't rock and roll type to me. this guy resembles kurt a little and i think he could really do a good job with it... i hope
40Robert Pattinson should play Curt Cobain. I see alot of simalarities between the two.Musical & Reserved.
41I think Ryan Gosling would be good!! Or maybe the dude who played Max in Across the Universe. He would be very good for it. James McAvoy is too skinny in the jaw, Kurt had a wide jaw. And Ewan McGregor is too old. Yes, he would've been good ten years ago, but he's aged since then. I think Ryan Gosling would be the best! Or Guy Pearce, but he may be too skinny.
42Ehh...Maybe but when i saw across the Universe i flipped i did a double take on Joe Anderson. i knew it couldn't be but the resemblance was eerie. And, Joe also has that beautiful voice. He's played a rebellious college kid to a Nam Vet he's proved he can plat troubled
43i must say joe anderson can act like kurt becoz he knows how to play instrument but joe is too tall,he 6feet tall and kurt is 5'7feet tall.
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