Who should play Jerry Garcia?

That's the big question for the first feature film about the late front man of the Grateful Dead now that, as Variety reports, documentary director Amir Bar-Lev has just signed on. The film would follow Garcia's early life -- including a pivotal 1961 car accident -- before he joined the band that would make him famous.

Deadheads may hate the idea of any actor stepping into the shoes of the music legend, but we can hazard a guess or two who might be offered the role in the as-yet-untitled film.
Who should play Jerry Garcia?

That's the big question for the first feature film about the late front man of the Grateful Dead now that, as Variety reports, documentary director Amir Bar-Lev has just signed on. The film would follow Garcia's early life -- including a pivotal 1961 car accident -- before he joined the band that would make him famous.

Deadheads may hate the idea of any actor stepping into the shoes of the music legend, but we can hazard a guess or two who might be offered the role in the as-yet-untitled film.

Garcia was known for his sense of humor (as witnessed in this 1982 interview with David Letterman, in which he jokes about having no memory of the '60s), so comedian Seth Rogen seems an obvious choice.

If we were casting strictly on the ability to rival Garcia's famous beard, we might tap 'The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis, (although, we would never cast on such a flimsy basis). Besides, we need someone with curly hair. Next!

We'd probably take a meeting with David Krumholtz, who we've loved in the comedies '10 Things I Hate About You' and 'Slums of Beverly Hills,' (where he sings!) and more serious work like his series 'Numb3rs.'

And then we'd talk to real musicians, like Iron & Wine's Sam Beam, who wouldn't have to lip sync. (Or need a prop beard.)

To stay true to Garcia's Latino roots, we'd see 'Chuck's' Joshua Gomez, who has a rather impressive beard of his own.

We'd also call in the little-known Adam Hershman, who appeared, uncredited, as Garcia in the biopic parody 'Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.'

Of course, this project is not a parody or a comedy, but, we assume, more along the lines of the upcoming film 'Nowhere Boy' about the early days of John Lennon, which also means that the casting would skew much younger.

Director Bar-Lev, who's primarily known for his documentaries 'The Tillman Story' and 'My Kid Could Paint That,' told Variety, "Topper Lilien's daring script does justice to Garcia and steadfastly resists cliche." Lilien seems an odd choice, given that his last script was for 'Dungeons & Dragons,' 10 years ago.

The screenplay is based on Robert Greenfield's well-received book 'Dark Star,' an oral history of Garcia from family, friends and colleagues.

Eric Eisner (son of former Disney head Michael Eisner) and Bona Fide partners Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa ('Little Miss Sunshine') will produce.

Who should play Jerry Garcia?
Seth Rogen2 (5.4%)
Sam Beam (Iron & Wine)1 (2.7%)
David Krumholtz4 (10.8%)
Zach Galifianakis (or at least his beard)6 (16.2%)
Josh Gomez1 (2.7%)
An unknown14 (37.8%)
No one!9 (24.3%)