BTS: Bohemian Rhapsody

Ever wondered how Rami Malek pulled off playing Freddie Mercury so well in the film Bohemian Rhapsody? Here’s how:

Rami Malek could not even sing nor play piano when he auditioned for the role. The directors and producers used a technique called amalgamation which combines Freddie’s voice and Rami’s voice. The majority of the movie soundtrack was Queen, but with a hint of Malek in each song.

What Malek quickly realized was that no one could sing like Freddie. Not only did he have voice lessons, he had a movement coach named Polly Bennett. Hours were spent studying footage, rehearsing and perfecting moves simply by listening to commands such as “serve the eggs” or “mop the floor”. Freddie’s body mannerisms were unique and difficult to replicate, even for an actor. But Malek welcomed the challenge. 

Not only were Mercury’s moves important to mirror, so were his famous teeth. Rami Malek was given fake teeth a year prior to filming started just to have time to get used to them. Malek mentioned in a radio interview that he immediately felt insecure.

With these hurdles in mind, Malek’s performance deserved every award he got. He is especially deserving of the accent he nailed. Rami’s dialect coach, Erik Singer, perfected Freddie Mercury’s specific idiolect. Malek found a way of perfecting the accent even while having a massive teeth prosthetic in his mouth.

If you have an extra 2 hours and 13 minutes to spare, Malek’s recreation of Freddie Mercury is a must-see!