During the 1950s, Jiles Perry Richardson Jr. AKA The Big Bopper was one of the hottest rising stars in the music industry. He took the world by storm in the summer of 1958 thanks to the success of his song “Chantilly Lace”. With his skills as a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter many believed that The Big Bopper had a bright future ahead of him. Sadly, he died in a plane crash when he was just 28 years old. The crash that killed The Big Bopper also resulted in the deaths of Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. Despite his life being tragically cut short, The Big Bopper’s legacy has continued to live on through his music. It seems like only a matter of time before the music legend’s story is told in the form of a biopic. So, which actor would be the right person to bring The Big Bopper’s story to life on screen? We’ve got a few ideas. Keep reading to see our list of actors who should play The Big Bopper in a biopic.
1. Will Poulter
Since starting his professional acting career more than 15 years ago, Will Poulter has shown that he is capable of playing a wide variety of roles. His ability to get into character is undeniable and he lights up the screen every time he steps in front of the camera. No matter what kind of role he has, Will’s work is always unforgettable in the best way possible. Playing someone like The Big Bopper could give Will the chance to show just how versatile he really is. Although he has experience playing a real-life character in the 2015 movie The Revenant, this could give him the chance to become the star of a biopic. In order to accurately portray The Big Bopper, Will will probably have to gain some weight.
2. Zac Efron
Zac Efron has come a long way from his days as a Disney Channel star. That said, things have slowed down a little bit for him in recent years and it would be great to see him back on the big screen in a major way. In some ways, playing someone like The Big Bopper would be Efron’s wheelhouse because he’s no stranger to playing characters who come from a musical background. At the same time, however, the role would be a nice change of pace from what people are used to seeing him do. Plus, the fact that Efron has experience playing real-life characters could definitely help him in a role like this.
3. Chris Pine
Chris Pine is the oldest actor on our list, and he is significantly older than The Big Bopper was when he passed away. However, I think he still looks youthful enough to successfully pull off playing The Big Bopper. Although many of his roles have been in action or science fiction projects, doing a biopic would be the perfect opportunity for him to show how flexible he really is as an actor. After all, it’s always nice when actors are able to switch things up and move seamlessly between characters. Like everyone else on our list, Chris would definitely have to put on some pounds so that he could accurately portray The Big Bopper.
4. Evan Peters
Evan Peters has been acting professionally for nearly 20 years. During that time, he has been part of lots of successful productions but he is probably best known for his role in the American Horror Story franchise. Evan is the kind of actor who always puts on a good show. As a result, he has earned the love of fans and the respect of people all over the industry. He already has some experience playing real-life characters although he hasn’t been the star of a biopic. But with his talent and dedication to his craft, we know that he definitely has what it takes to transform into The Big Bopper.
5. Chris Colfer
Chris is the only actor on our list who is also a professional musician. Having both of those skills will definitely give him a leg up when it comes to playing somebody like The Big Bopper. Although he doesn’t have as many credits as the other actors on our list, his work has gotten lots of praise. The only downside to Chris playing the role is the fact that he doesn’t have much movie experience. At the moment, the majority of his on-screen work has been on TV. However, a role like this could give him the chance to show that he really has what it takes to light up the big screen.
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