Pitchfork

Insert "A Movie Script Ending" joke here: Death Cab for Cutie singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard is making the leap from indie rock heartthrob to indie film heartthrob. He has a role in the big-screen adaptation of David Foster Wallace's short story collection Brief Interviews With Hideous Men, directed by John Krasinski, aka Jim from the American version of "The Office".

Eagle-eyed reader Trey Burke alerted Pitchfork to the movie's IMDB page, which lists Gibbard as playing a character named Harry. Other cast members include a guy who was in Snakes on a Plane (Bobby Cannavale), a guy from "Saturday Night Live" (Will Forte), a girl from "That '70s Show" (Mila Kunis), Krasinski's "Office" coworker Rashida Jones, and Krasinski himself.

Unfortunately, Gibbard's next film role will not be in a remake of the Cash Money Millionaires classic Baller Blockin', in which he would be so, so great as Lil Wayne's character, Iceberg Shorty.

But don't worry, kid, Ben hasn't abandoned the music. Although Death Cab plan to spend the rest of the year taking a break from touring or releasing new music, Gibbard is "at home working on new songs," according to a publicist. The band "will begin recording their next record towards the end of the year."

In the meantime, Gibbard's bandmates are keeping themselves plenty busy. Guitarist Chris Walla is working on his previously reported solo album and producing Tegan and Sara's next record, on which DCFC drummer Jason McGerr also plays. Bassist Nick Harmer is working with director Aaron Stewart-Ahn on a Decemberists video.

And, of course, the band members are all frantically trying on suits to wear to the Grammy Awards on February 11. Their song "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" is up against the Fray's "Over My Head (Cable Car)", Keane's "Is It Any Wonder?", the Pussycat Dolls' "Stickwitu", and, um, the Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps" for the Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal Grammy. So... good company.

Death Cab's Directions DVD is nominated for the Best Long Form Music Video Grammy, where it's up against Madonna and Springsteen. Which is to say, it basically has no chance of winning whatsoever.