Last week brought news of the Golden Globe nominations, giving a hint as to which projects could end up winning major accolades during this year's Awards Season. The Freddie Mercury biopic has been making a ton of money at the box office, with Mr. Robot actor Rami Malek receiving particular acclaim for his portrayal of the beloved singer and rock visionary. In fact, the members of Queen even support the performance.
Rami Malek is already predicted for Oscar attention, with his Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor seemingly hinting at a very celebrated season. Malek's voice and physicality have both been highlights of his performance, although it appears that the crew might not have had such a good time on set. Mainly because the actor was trying to emulate Freddie Mercury's unpredictable performance style. As Malek tells it,
Trying to be as unpredictable and spontaneous as Freddie Mercury was, I never let the camera know where I was going. I felt everyone could play catch-up to this character's moves. Jumping into someone else's light, a gorgeous thing to do, gives you an adrenaline rush. No one will ever be like him. I hope I got close.
Bohemian Rhapsody has been praised for its stellar concert scene, especially the thrilling Live Aid concert that the movie led up to. Much of this goes to the combination of cinematography and Rami Malek's performance as the Queen front man. But that also meant the cameramen on set had to be on their toes in order to capture every moment from the actor, and recreate the iconic show.
Rami Malek's comments from Page Six show how methodically the Mr. Robot standout approached his role in Bohemian Rhapsody. Malek worked extremely hard to find Freddie Mercury's voice and physicality, a process that had extra layers once factoring in the singer's performing style. While it is a role that has already granted Malek tons of acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination, it's fun to peak behind the curtain at exactly what it took for the actor to play Mercury.
Bohemian Rhapsody's success is particularly fascinating because it was not guaranteed. There was a fair amount of controversy surrounding the biopic before its release, and it opened to a lukewarm critical success. Director Bryan Singer departed the project before it was completed, making the status of Bohemian Rhapsody appear risky. And after some advocacy groups took umbrage with the lack of same-sex romantic plots for Mercury, the odds were stacked against the project.
Still, the project resonated with audiences, and Bohemian Rhapsody has made a ton of money at the box office. And with the movie also getting award attention, Bohemian Rhapsody is still just getting started.
Bohemian Rhapsody is in theaters now. In the meantime check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
