GAY BOND STAR TO PLAY MERCURY
Recently out British actor Ben Whishaw has been confirmed to play the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
Deadline.com reported on Monday that Whishaw, who is best known for portraying Q in the Bond movie Skyfall, has scooped the coveted role in the upcoming film about the iconic rock band.
The biopic will be directed by Dexter Fletcher and producers aim to start filming next year.
Whishaw came out as gay in August when it was announced that he had been in a civil partnership with Australian composer Mark Bradshaw (30) for a year.
The 33-year-old actor has also starred in films such as Brideshead Revisited (2008) and Cloud Atlas (2012).
The role of Freddie Mercury was originally set to be played by Sacha Baron Cohen but he left the project over creative differences with Queen’s surviving band members.
In September, rumours circulated that Daniel Radcliffe had won the role, but he denied this, stating: “I am completely wrong for that part!”
Mercury, who was bisexual, died from AIDS related pneumonia in 1991, but the film will apparently not deal with his last days. It is believed to cover the band’s early years, up to their performance at ‘Live Aid’ in 1985.
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