# Sacha Baron Cohen to play Freddie Mercury **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 17, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050 "2010-09-17T04:40:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/1 "2010-09-17T04:40:57Z")
[http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.reuters.com/borat-star-play-freddie-mercury-movie-reuters;\_ylt=Ah2KJ8y01DLc8YMD63IoJxpfVXcA](http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.reuters.com/borat-star-play-freddie-mercury-movie-reuters;_ylt=Ah2KJ8y01DLc8YMD63IoJxpfVXcA) Hmmm… Will it work? I think he can certainly pull off the look. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/2 "2010-09-17T04:59:07Z")
I dunno… is Sacha masculine enough to play Freddy Mercury? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/3 "2010-09-17T05:14:50Z")
That’s actually a very good choice as far as look, and I’m certain he has the acting chops. I can’t believe he’d be doing his own vocals, though. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/4 "2010-09-17T06:17:07Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I can’t believe he’d be doing his own vocals, though. Could _anyone_ do Freddie’s vocals? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/5 "2010-09-17T06:23:09Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Could _anyone_ do Freddie’s vocals? > **[Martyn Jacques](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Jacques)** > > Martyn Jacques (born 22 May 1959) is a British musician, singer and songwriter, mostly known as the founder and front man of cult British trio The Tiger Lillies. > Martyn Jacques grew up in Slough. His song "Slough" on YouTube on the 1996 The Tiger Lillies release "The Brothel to The Cemetery" concerns his childhood memories, echoing John Betjeman's 1937 poem. > As a child, he had piano lessons from Florence De Jong. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/6 "2010-09-17T08:13:43Z")
I thought he was playing Freddie when I saw his performance as Signor Adolfo Pirelli, tight pants and all. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/7 "2010-09-17T09:17:14Z")
Baron Cohen is as good a choice as any, I guess, but he’s 6" taller than Mercury was, with equally slim physique. I can’t help but think Freddie-style rock-cock posturing will look really funny because of this. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/8 "2010-09-17T12:20:04Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > > [@fuzzypickles](#): > > > > Could _anyone_ do Freddie’s vocals? > > [Martyn Jacques - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Jacques) Huh. Well he might have the falsetto down but in the videos I’ve dug up I’m not seeing any lower range at all. That’s one weird dude though. Personally, I think Mika would be a good choice. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XlEsBaAFPoo/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-AoACoAKKAgwIABABGH8gVSgpMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAUtQusdw0LOauVUMxyEnWZVOIMgA "Mika - Grace Kelly") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlEsBaAFPoo) ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/9 "2010-09-17T13:58:35Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > Baron Cohen is as good a choice as any, I guess, but he’s 6" taller than Mercury was, with equally slim physique. I can’t help but think Freddie-style rock-cock posturing will look really funny because of this. I wouldn’t be too sure about that, I can’t remember where I saw the pictures, but I was struck by how freddie-esq Cohen actually is. It was some behind the scenes shots from Bruno. Take the uber camp away, and I think he will do a respectable job. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/10 "2010-09-17T14:04:45Z")
I’m not a fan and he’s never done anything like this, but he’s got commitment to his roles. So maybe that will work. And there’s definitely some kind of resemblance. See [this picture of Cohen as Borat](http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2006/10/borat-to-madonna-raise-my-child/) and [this picture of Mercury](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129476462) (taken from [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=577151)). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/11 "2010-09-17T14:15:53Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > > I can’t believe he’d be doing his own vocals, though. > > Could _anyone_ do Freddie’s vocals? George Michael. I believe the band even approached him to perform with them after Freddie’s death. He declined. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/12 "2010-09-17T14:31:38Z")
Sacha has the look, that’s for sure. But who will play budding astrophysicist Brian May? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/13 "2010-09-17T15:08:00Z")
> [@Anonymous\_Coward](#): > > > [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > > > [Martyn Jacques - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Jacques) > > Huh. Well he might have the falsetto down but in the videos I’ve dug up I’m not seeing any lower range at all. > > That’s one weird dude though. > > Personally, I think Mika would be a good choice. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlEsBaAFPoo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlEsBaAFPoo) Totally agree about Mika’s vocals. My 19YO daughter introduced me to him, with his song _Lollipop_, saying “Mom, check it out, this guy sounds like Freddie-Freakin’-Mercury!” And he did. But it really is gonna take a lot of acting chops to get the. . .sheer posturing and theatrics down there. Freddie was, well, just Freddie. One of a kind. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/14 "2010-09-17T15:14:52Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > But it really is gonna take a lot of acting chops to get the. . .sheer posturing and theatrics down there. Freddie was, well, just Freddie. One of a kind. ☹ Have you _seen_ Sacha Baron Cohen in action? He’d have to dial it down to play Freddie. He’s an obvious choice for looks and style alone. The voice…well, that’ll be the tricky part. Nobody sings like Freddie. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/15 "2010-09-17T15:23:23Z")
I like the idea that they focused on Freddie’s persona and cast to that first - I can see how Mika would be a great sound-alike-ish singer, but the persona is what is essential to Mercury and Cohen may be able to pull it off. The guy writing it has great credentials, too - leaves me cautiously optimistic. I have to assume the music will be pasted in…this isn’t like Anton Corbijn’s movie about Joy Division, Control, where the stuff that they were playing, while great, listenable stuff, was so simply that the non-muso actors could fake their way through legit versions after a few weeks. Queen’s players had some of the best chops in the business. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/16 "2010-09-17T15:26:23Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > But it really is gonna take a lot of acting chops to get the. . .sheer posturing and theatrics down there. Freddie was, well, just Freddie. One of a kind. ☹ Sacha Baron Cohen is a very good actor. He’s really only done comic roles but he’s owned each one and they are very different characters. He is also a brilliant physical actor. [Ali G](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqZKW1WEVlM), [Bruno](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtfhD70eaS4), [Borat.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH2CABcffAo) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/17 "2010-09-17T15:44:53Z")
> [@Anonymous\_Coward](#): > > Huh. Well he might have the falsetto down but in the videos I’ve dug up I’m not seeing any lower range at all. I have to assume he has it, though. He’s male. True, some men might have a naturally high voice, but everything I’ve read about him says that he had to specifically work to get the high range – which indicates that his natural range is lower than that. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/18 "2010-09-17T16:21:24Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > > [@norinew](#): > > > > But it really is gonna take a lot of acting chops to get the. . .sheer posturing and theatrics down there. Freddie was, well, just Freddie. One of a kind. ☹ > > Have you _seen_ Sacha Baron Cohen in action? He’d have to dial it down to play Freddie. He’s an obvious choice for looks and style alone. The voice…well, that’ll be the tricky part. Nobody sings like Freddie. No, I really _haven’t_ seen him in action. I’m not a fan of the kind of comedy he tends to do (making people uncomfortable), so I’d have to say I’m not a fan of _his_, in general. But when the movie comes out, if it reviews even half-decently, I’ll be in line to see it. Freddie Mercury is surely not the greatest musician to ever live, but if he’s not the greatest rock band front-man of all time, I’ll eat my overcoat. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/19 "2010-09-17T16:21:55Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > > [@fuzzypickles](#): > > > > Could _anyone_ do Freddie’s vocals? > > George Michael. I believe the band even approached him to perform with them after Freddie’s death. He declined. He was great on stage with Queen at Freddie’s tribute gig. https://www.youtube.com/embed/8c7x2JD_j-0?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050/20 "2010-09-17T17:49:49Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > Baron Cohen is as good a choice as any, I guess, but he’s 6" taller than Mercury was, with equally slim physique. I can’t help but think Freddie-style rock-cock posturing will look really funny because of this. Peter O’Toole is 10" taller than T.E. Lawrence was. I guess the robes made up for some of it, but if it’s shot well this shouldn’t be too much of an issue here. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sacha-baron-cohen-to-play-freddie-mercury/554050.md?page=2)