CS: So you've been working on the Freddie Mercury film for a while now, so are you taking a similar approach as "The Queen" or "Frost/Nixon" or anything else you've written?
Morgan: Yeah, it ought to be more like that and using those muscles, so I'm doing a lot of interviews and trying to get the voice and listening to a lot of tapes, so I can write his dialogue and so his dialogue sounds different from everybody else's dialogue, so I'm spending as much time as I can with the existing Queen band members and I'm absolutely loving doing it.
CS: Growing up in England, Queen must have been fairly hard to avoid, so were you a fan of the band when you were growing up?
Morgan: No, I wasn't a fan of theirs at all, but I've become interested in them simply through the process of writing about them. But I am loving writing about them and I'm now devoted to Queen. (chuckles) No, it's good, it's really good, I'm having a good time.
CS: This is a little different because Freddie's no longer alive, whereas with the characters in "The Queen" and at least one half of "Frost/Nixon," they were still alive... whether that's good or bad.
Morgan: Trust me. Brian May and Roger Taylor are still very much alive. I'm meeting them and speaking to them all the time.
Read more: Exclusive: Hereafter Screenwriter Peter Morgan - ComingSoon.net link
Well, at least when this movie comes out, John will have something to talk about. The last time he was quoted saying something related to Queen was when Brian and Roger recorded with Robbie Williams back in 2001!
I'm sure he has to authorize for his likeness to appear in the movie, doesn't he?
Well, I'm absolutely possitive John would not have anything to contribute! So no worries in him not participating. I just hope Morgan talks to Jim, Mary, Gary, Spike and Mack. And if he needs to, he can contact DoRo, but only for info on the band on a personal level.. not their media productions..
Wiley wrote: Well, at least when this movie comes out, John will have something to talk about. The last time he was quoted saying something related to Queen was when Brian and Roger recorded with Robbie Williams back in 2001!
I'm sure he has to authorize for his likeness to appear in the movie, doesn't he?
Yeah, and somehow I've always doubted that that was an actual John quote.
Glass Joe wrote: I wouldn't worry too much about who plays John. I've heard it's a non speaking part!
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That being the case, I'm sure he would be nodding and reacting to other people's actions the whole time he's on camera. Hopefully he'll get to whisper something to Freddie's ear so Freddie can tell it to the rest of the band.
Now seriously, I heard that for John they were going to get the Jim Henson studio to make a Muppet and have Frank Oz voice it :).
I got all excited for nothing I guess. As of October 11/10 it was stated that John Deacon was collaborating in the project along with Brian and Roger. Now his name is no longer being mentioned. It's too bad he doesn't realise how important his perspective might be in relation to the others and the presentation of his relationship with Freddie. Obviously his permission is necessary for the use of his name or image etc. and I'm sure he won't return his royalty checks when they start coming through.
One of the most important people in Freddie's life was/is Mary Austin. Their life together almost paralleled that of Queen as a group.Very intertwined. Mary and Brian going out together a few times. Roger and Freddie and Mary all working at 'Biba'. Freddie taking an interest in Mary and getting Brian to introduce them. None of them had a sixpence between them in the beginning.They congregated in various living quarters sharing what food they had. Life was simple then but I gather also a lot of fun.Everyone had their dreams and fortunately for the world of music the group that became Queen had tenacity and focus and they knew even from the beginning they would be great. They would not have it any other way. Mary at 19 became Freddie's love and although that love changed and evolved after 6 years, Freddie could never let Mary go. He always somehow arranged to keep her in his life. It may have become men for sex but it was always Mary to whom Freddie turned for all the other important aspects of his life. He proved his love by taking care of her after his death.
This is why her role in the movie must be given the status it is due. I hope she has been asked to participate and despite her reluctance to appear publically or make any statements all these years I hope for the sake of accuracy she does. Mary has never taken financial advantage of her memories. She has remained the private guardian of many secrets including the disposition of Freddie's remains. He trusted her implicitly not let the whereabouts of his remains become known. I hope the film treats her well.The actress who comes to my mind to play the role of Mary is Amanda Seyfried.
Since, as we've been told now anyway ,the time frame of the movie will go up to the Live Aid concert on July 13 1985. This date would preclude almost any of Freddie's relationship with Jim Hutton. Hutton, in his book Mercury and Me, states that their relationship ,beyond a brief meeting at a bar once before, began in late March of 1985. The Live Aid concert was the first time he saw Freddie and Queen in concert. So as far as his presence in the movie goes it should be very limited. I can see Liev Schrieber playing the role of Jim though.
I can't think of anyone more appropriate to bring Freddie to life on screen than Sacha Baron Cohen.He's a genius in his own right and I think looked to this project to prove how serious he can be. Make-up and special effects can take care of the height and appearance discrepencies. The voice,never, but we'll have to see how they'll handle that.