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Sacha Baron Cohen was too funny to play Freddie Mercury

Written by . Published: September 24 2013

Rockers Queen decided against Sacha Baron Cohen playing their late bandmate Freddie Mercury on the big screen over fears the Brit was too funny for the part.


The Borat star is said to have fallen out with the remaining members of legendary band Queen, who had script and director approval, and now drummer Roger Taylor has opened up about the doomed movie and Cohen's casting.


He says, "We felt Sacha probably wasn't right. We didn't want it to be a joke. We want people to be moved."


The much-anticipated biopic is believed to have since been shelved and Taylor admits there's not much hope for the project.


He adds, "I thought the music business was slow, but this has been like swimming in treacle. We need to step back now."


Cohen's writing partner Dan Mazer is convinced it was for the best that the funnyman failed to land the role as the tragic frontman, who died in 1991.


He explains, "It probably wasn't a right fit. The thing about Sacha is he is very sure about how he wants to do things. He is not a man to compromise or dilute things. If he felt he couldn't do it the right way, then he didn't want to do it."

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