Photo: Wenn
Following reports over the weekend that Sacha Baron Cohen has rejoined the Freddie Mercury movie biopic, guitarist Brian May has confirmed that this is not the case.
When collecting the Peter Grant Award at the Artist and Manager Awards in London last week, Queen's manager Jim Beach made a comment about Baron Cohen returning to the project.
As reported by Brian May on his website though, what happened next led to some confusion. "[Jim] said that, in response to enquiries about the progress on the Freddie feature film, that Sacha Baron Cohen had been re-engaged to write, produce, and direct the film, as well as starring in all four major roles ! I’m afraid some folks might have taken it seriously!"
A long standing project that has been due to start shooting since 2010, Sacha Baron Cohen and Queen reportedly disagreed over how explicit the Queen story would be. Brian May also revealed that the band felt that Baron Cohen's presence would be a Mankini-wearing distraction.
"In the end, we felt that his presence in the movie would be very distracting," the guitarist told Ultimate Classic Rock. "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," May said. "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 denied that there had been any falling out over the decision for Baron Cohen to leave the project.
Queen were recently announced as headliners for Rock In Rio, which takes place 18-20 September and 24-27 September and tickets are on sale now. Queen join previously announced acts Katy Perry, System of a Down, Slipknot, Queens of the Stone Age, Faith No More, Metallica and John Legend. The band are also rumoured to be headlining the Sunday night at Glastonbury.
Queen and Lambert recently completed a 26 date European tour which ends today (27 February) in Sheffield Motorpoint Arena. They have performed to over 300,000 people.
Read our review of the London show here - described by our writer as 'One of the best concerts this writer has ever experienced at the O2'.
