SINGLE104

I don't think Hugh Jackman (who look like a middle age Clint Eastwood) would be a good choice of an actor to portray Freddie Mercury just because he can sing.

SINGLE104

Um... Not necessarily always.

Michael Allred

from www.brianmay.com on reports of Johnny Depp portraying Mercury;

Here's a bit from article:

iggystar

I could think of someone better who looks more like him....Guy Pearce, period.

tommy28

Maybe Paul Rodgers can play Freddie.

amd555

Last I heard was that Sasha Baron Cohen declined the role and Depp was supposedly considering it. I've done some checking on imdb and other sites and cannot find any updates.

Anyone know anything about it?

amd555

anyone?

PopcornTreeCt

I never heard that Sacha Baron Cohen was even offered the role. Who knows?

Daytripper

Aren't Tom Cruise and John Travolta in talks for this?

JumpCutz

I know there's been speculation of this casting in the past, but now it's a done deal.



EXCLUSIVE: Whether it's Marvin Gaye, Janis Joplin, Phil Spector or a host of others, enough announced music pics stall that it’s hard to find one worth worth getting excited about. Try this one: Sacha Baron Cohen has closed a deal to play Queen front man Freddie Mercury in a film that’s being scripted by Peter Morgan for a 2011 production start. The untitled film will be financed by GK Films partners Graham King and Tim Headington, who'll produce in partnership with Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal’s Tribeca Productions, and Queen Films. Morgan is already working on a script focused on the band’s formative years, leading up to Queen’s appearance at Live Aid in 1985. Queen’s performance is considered one of the rock's all-time great live concert appearances.

A rights package has been set that includes the band’s tunes, including Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions , Another One Bites The Dust and You’re My Best Friend. It is unclear whether Baron Cohen will sing—I’m told he can sing—or whether Mercury’s vocals will be used. Nobody sang like Mercury, so trying to replicate him would be a tall order. These decisions will be made as a director gets hired. Mercury died November 24, 1991 of complications from AIDS. Though his death helped to remove the stigma of AIDS sufferers prevalent at that time and particularly in the rock music industry, Mercury’s last days won’t be the subject of the film.
Baron Cohen is an intriguing choice. For one thing, he looks more like Mercury than any star I can think of. While Baron Cohen’s primarily a comic actor, he plays well-defined characters in films from Borat to Talladega Nights, Sweeney Todd and Bruno, and he’s currently starring in the 3D Martin Scorsese-directed drama Hugo Cabret, also for GK Films. In April, Baron Cohen was the catalyst for a big bucks comedy pitch being written by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel. Paramount beat out others for a film, which calls for Baron Cohen to play dual roles of a goat herder and a deposed dictator who gets lost in the US. It was an extravagant deal and the project is on a fast track. It’s unclear how timing factors into the Mercury film.
Morgan has become a go-to guy for prestige films based on real figures, from Frost/Nixon to The Queen (no relation), The Last King of Scotland and Damned United. His most recent script, Hereafter, made its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last Sunday, with director Clint Eastwood and stars Matt Damon and Bryce Dallas Howard introducing the film at the Elgin Theater.
GK’s King confirmed the Queen deal: “Queen is one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and a music brand all unto itself,” he said in a statement. “Freddie Mercury was an awe-inspiring performer, so with Sacha in the starring role coupled with Peter’s screenplay and the support of Queen, we have the perfect combination to tell the real story behind their success.”

This is the first time the surviving members of Queen--Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon--have licensed songs and music publishing rights for a movie about the band and they formed Queen Films to be part of the production team on the film. They previously supplied their songs to We Will Rock You, the stage musical that has been running 9 years on London’s West End.

GK Films tomorrow opens the Ben Affleck-directed The Town through Warner Bros, and the Angelina Jolie-Johnny Depp thriller The Tourist opens December 10 through Columbia Pictures. Baron Cohen’s repped by WME and Morgan by UTA and UK-based Independent Talent Group.


http://www.deadline.com/2010/09/excl...ry-in-gk-film/

MrSmearkase

Rypro 525

it would def be interesting thats for sure

kstublen

I guess I never realized it before, but they really do look a lot alike. Very good casting choice.

I'm a firm believer that a lot of truly funny comedians/comedic actors, when paired with the right director, are sometimes the best choices for more dramatic roles (think Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind; Adam Sandler in Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me; Marlon Wayans in Requiem For A Dream, Bill Murray generally) and I think Baron Cohen could be one of those guys if he's teamed with the right director.

Will definitely be looking out for this one.

Rypro 525

for those that have never heard him speak regularly
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NoirFan

Hmm....he could be perfect.

RocShemp

I can picture him in this. I hope it's good.

PopcornTreeCt

fumanstan

Cohen seems perfect to me. Sweeney Todd was a little more serious role, so I think he can handle it just fine.

cungar

He's going to need to wear fake teeth

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Josh-da-man

Cohen's a brilliant actor... he slips into characters like Borat, Bruno, and Ali G with such ease that you'd never guess they weren't real people...

...but it's just damned weird to think about Borat playing Freddie Mercury.

Solid Snake

holy shit...give him the teeth and BAM...ez change.

cungar

You'll have to endure a lot of dated 80s new wave and horrible performances by THe Who and Led Zeppelin. Just watch it here:

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iggystar

Wow, the resemblance never dawned on me until I saw the thread title. Sounds like a great idea.

nando820

I don't really like Cohen's Borat , Bruno or Ali G. But he was descent on Sweeney Todd and the resemblance is uncanny. I'm really interested

islandclaws

I'll agree that this sounds like a great casting choice. I have little doubt that Cohen could pull this off.