The upcoming movie based on Freddie Mercury and Queen has finally found their front man. Ben Whishaw, the British actor most recently found in Skyfall has been chosen to play the role of Freddie Mercury, a role that is no small feat.
Originally, actor Sacha Baron Cohen was chosen for the role but Cohen left the project due to creative differences. Queen’s guitarist Brian May told Ultimate Classic Rock on the split with Cohen, "What led us to that conclusion was the last three movies that he’s made – The Dictator, Les Miserables and Hugo – in which he makes outstanding performances, but they’re very much Sacha Baron Cohen performances, and we thought there has to be no distraction in the Freddie movie. You have to really suspend that disbelief – the man who plays Freddie, you have to really believe is Freddie. And we didn’t that could really happen with Sacha." May went onto say that the decision came on good terms between two parties and they felt they actually felt, “We owe Sacha a lot. He had so much enthusiasm for the project and it really helped us kick it into the start position."
Deadline reported that the creative difference was, “The reason is that the band wanted to make more of a PG movie about Queen while Cohen was counting on a gritty R-rated tell-all centered around the gifted gay singer.”
Through all this, it seems the band has finally found their Freddie Mercury though. Ben Whishaw will apparently be the new face of the legendary rock star with the larger than life voice. Deadline reports, “The as-yet-untitled film about the band's formative years leading up to its memorable 1985 Live Aid performance is to go into production next year. ” With so much anticipation surrounding the film already, the only hope is that it lives up to the legacy of the king of Queen.
Queen – Live at Live Aid :