I am – Hercules!!
Sacha Baron Cohen, who played memorable homosexuals in both “Talladega Nights” and “Bruno,” is going gay again to play the central character in a Freddie Mercury biopic, according to a Deadline Hollywood exclusive.
It’s a rare dramatic role for Cohen, who achieved big-time movie stardom a few years ago with “Borat.”
The project has reportedly secured right to such Queen hits as “We Are The Champions,” “We Will Rock You” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” (No word about the stirring Bowie-Queen collaboration "Under Pressure.")
Cohen has a bit of singing experience, having warbled as Pirelli in Tim Burton’s “Sweeney Todd.”
It’ll be interesting to see if the same folks who got all sore about non-Asians playing roles in “The Last Airbender” will object to Cohen, a Jewish Brit, playing the Queen frontman, whose parents were natives of India. (While Jews do originate in Asia, I am assured by talkbackers that they are never, ever EVER to classified as Asians. That prohibition apparently extends even the Jews who were born in Israel, a beloved component of Asia. Go figure!)
Find all of Deadline’s story on the matter here.
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