In case you haven't heard, your Rami Malek is going to star as the lead in Bohemian Rhapsody, a film all about legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury's life.
You might be thinking, "OK, Rami is badass in Mr. Robot, but Freddie is simply irreplaceable.'" To that, I would agree. Throughout his life, Mercury inspired millions of fans to embrace their wilder sides and not to take life so seriously. In concert, Mercury demanded all eyes on him as he darted around stage theatrically, his vivacious dancing only matched by his outfits.
His talent, too, was unparalleled. Mercury boasted a four-octave range that at could bring an entire stadium to its feet in one moment and move them to tears in the next. No one, not even Adam Lambert, whose own vocal abilities earned him a spot touring with Queen in recent years, could move people the way Mercury did.
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But after seeing Malek prance around onstage as the rock icon, I am convinced that if anyone is going to portray him, no one could do a better job the 36-year-old actor.
Vulture reports that footage from a recent shoot was posted to YouTube on Sunday showing what appears to be Queen performing for the Live Aid show in London in 1985. In a now-deleted clip, Malek hops around with an intensity, precision, and playfulness that almost exactly mimics Mercury's, as evidenced in this clip of Queen's real-life Live Aid performance.
Earlier this month, Entertainment Weekly released the first official image of Malek dressed in costume, and between the sharp jawline, the pronounced arm muscles, and the mustache, I'd say he's a damn good match.
As for the vocal comparison, it's safe to say Malek's skills aren't exactly on the same level as Mercury's, but, that's OK: Malek told EW that he's currently training at Abbey Road Studios, and that the film will try to incorporate both his and Mercury's voices "as much as possible."
I, for one, can't wait to hear a teaser.