Queen Guitarist Calls Sacha Baron Cohen ‘Such An Arse’ Over Mercury Biopic

Few casting decisions have ever been as perfectly straightforward / sign-him-the-fuck-up-now as the one to slot Sasha Baron Cohen into the titular role of the upcoming Freddie Mercury biopic. Of course, that went to shit quite recently, as Cohen claimed Queen’s surviving members shot down his gritty vision in favour of a more uplifting tale. 

Spoilers: the bloke died of complications from AIDS, so we’re willing to side with Cohen’s darker take here. Like Freddie without a three-quarter-length mic stand, Cohen said the current direction just doesn’t have the same vibe – but now, guitar-slinger Brian May has returned fire, saying “Sacha became such an arse” during the conceptual process. 

“We had some nice times with Sacha kicking around ideas, but he went off and told untruths about what happened,” May told the Mail On Sunday. If he’s to be believed, those untruths include Cohen’s claim someone said “in the second half of the movie we, you know, see how the band carries on from strength to strength,” and that the band wanted a more PG take on the whole thing. 

May’s response:

“Are we the kind of people who have ever ducked from the truth? I don’t think so…. 

We decided he wasn’t right for the role for very good reasons, which will become apparent if you watch what he’s done recently.”