Sacha Baron Cohen Taking Singing Lessons For Freddie Mercury Role

Sacha Baron Cohen has proved that he has musical chops by stealing scenes in popular films like Les Miserables, and Sweeney Todd, but is he a pop singer? We’re about to find out because it looks like the highly anticipated Freddie Mercury project is finally rolling along in production.

Stalled since its announcement in 2010, now that director Tom Hooper seems to be on board for the Freddie Mercury film, it looks like we will be seeing Cohen playing the Queen front man after all. It’s obvious Sacha has interest in the project for staying on the biopic for so long, but is he truly ready to take on Freddie Mercury’s famous chops?

It looks like Sacha Baron Cohen is going to give it his best shot. The word is that Sacha is taking the role very seriously, by taking singing lessons to capture the essence of Freddie Marcury’s powerful voice. Due to the film being scheduled to start shooting later this year, it hasn’t been decided whether or not his voice will be featured in segments, or if they will use Mercury’s voice in full, but in case it’s the former, Cohen is working hard to prepare.

It’s said that Cohen has studied hours and hours of Queen concert footage and private videos of Freddie in a “reflective and sombre mood.” If that’s not enough for you, then take Queen’s guitarist Brian May, who has already found Sacha’s enthusiasm as “the driving force” of the film project. A source revealed:”He is working on building his vocals. It is a uphill task, because Freddie has such a unique power and tone.”

When the news that Sacha Baron Cohen would play Freddie Mercury first hit in 2010, some fans were surprised, but now with the recent success of Les Miserables, and the director of that movie Tom Hooper lined up for the biopic, fans are accepting that Cohen may be their best bet.

Do you think Sacha Baron Cohen is the best fit for the role of Freddie Mercury?