MovieChat Forums > Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) Discussion > Rami Malek, Sacha Baron Cohen or Jemaine...

Rami Malek, Sacha Baron Cohen or Jemaine Clement?


I enjoyed the movie, make no mistake, but who do you think would been better?

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Jemaine Clement is my favourite actor of the three, and could probably do a better English accent than Rami did.
Sacha Baron Cohen is way too tall, but facially looks the most like Freddie Mercury, and he wouldn't have to change his voice much.
From what I've seen, Rami is the best actor.

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I didn't mind Malek but he definitely seemed quite small compared to real Freddie. That dude was pretty jacked
otherwise quite convincing

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I think Sacha would’ve been more believable because his face looks more similar to Freddie’s. He can sing and since he’s British he would’ve sound better vocally as well. As for Sasha being taller than Freddie, I don’t think it would be a big issue, there are many ways to overcome that with camera and computer trickery. Malek’s face was just too distracting for me, his teeth and eyes were just way off.

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The one the band itself chose. The one who, you know, won an Academy Award. I’ve followed Queen since they released their eponymous album. They chose the best actor for the part. Time to stop flogging a dead horse, necrophiles. The issue is settled.

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I think the right choice was made.

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Oh, they hired the right actor all right! Cohen would have been terrible.

The problem with Cohen is he always and obviously hides behind his role, you never get the sense that you're watching a real person when you see him, there's absolutely no sense that his characters have an inner life. As an actor, he impersonates, he hides from the camera, he is not "open" or emotionally honest.

Malek really got the intensity and openness, the "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME IT'S ALL ABOUT ME" attitude of the born performer that's both the secret of their success, and as annoying as fuck. The neediness, the exhibitionism, the self-absorption, the charisma, the pretensions, etc., Malek made all that seem a natural part of the guy's personality. In Cohen's hands the character would have been a dour nightmare, but Malek made him both believable and fun. And Malek gave the character the Star Quality the role needed, the charisma-free Cohen couldn't have done that!

PS: Jermaine Clement has a deep speaking voice, and a deep singing voice. How could he play a man with a natural high tenor voice?

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