The always-controversialSacha Baron Cohenmade headlines last month after he surprised everyone at theOscarsby presenting as his iconic character Ali G. Now the actor is hitting the promotional trail in support of his new comedyThe Brothers Grimsby, which hits theaters this weekend, and the actor also shed some light on why he left theUntitled Freddie Mercury Biopic. During an interview with theHoward Stern Show, the actor revealed that he left the project because he didn’t see eye to eye about the direction of the story with the surviving members ofQueen. Here’s what he had to say about how an unnamed member of the band described how they wanted the story to unfold.
“He goes it’s such a great movie, because such an amazing thing happens in the middle of the movie. I said, ‘What happens in the middle of the movie?’ He goes, ‘You know, Freddie dies.’ I go, all right, so it’s a bit likePulp Fiction, where the end is the middle and the middle is the end. … I go, ‘All right, that’s a wild movie. All right, that’s interesting.’ … He goes, ‘No, no, no. Normal movie.’ I go, ‘So wait a minute, what happens in the second half of the movie?’ And he said, ‘Well, you know, we see how the band carries on from strength to strength.’ [And] I said, ‘Listen, not one person is going to see a movie where the lead character dies from AIDS and then you carry on.”
Sacha Baron Cohenhad been attached to star asFreddie Mercuryfor six years, before leaving the project in 2013, because he wanted to make anR-ratedmovie that explored the singer’s homosexual lifestyle, but the band wanted to make a family-friendly tale.Ben Whishawcame aboard to replaceSacha Baron Cohen, with Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything) writing the script. Oddly enough,Queen’s manager revealed last March thatSacha Baron Cohenwas not only coming back to star, but he has also agreed to write, direct and produce thebiopic, but it seemed that never happened either. Here’s what the actor had to say about what he wanted to see out of aFreddie Mercurybiopic.
“There are amazing stories aboutFreddie Mercury. The guy was wild. He was living an extreme lifestyle. There are stories of “little people” with plates with cocaine on their heads, walking around parties. It’s just an amazing story. I understand it. They’re a band. They wanted to protect their legacy.”
Last year, a report fromConsequence of Soundrevealed that production would begin sometime this summer, but as of now, the project still doesn’t have a director attached.Dexter Fletcher(Eddie the Eagle) was set to direct at one point, but it doesn’t seem that he is involved anymore. That earlier report also claimed that Johnny Flynn was playing Queen’s Roger Taylor, withGemma Artertonplaying Mercury’s longtime partner, Mary Austin, but their involvement has yet to be confirmed. What do you think aboutSacha Baron Cohen’s reasons for leaving this biopic?
