‘You better own this’: How Rami Malek came to embody Freddie Mercury – Interview

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INTERVIEW ON FRESH AIR WITH TERRY GROSS

Rami Malek stars as Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. ALEX BAILEY / 20TH CENTURY FOX
Rami Malek stars as Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. ALEX BAILEY / 20TH CENTURY FOX

Check out Rami Malek’s fascinating interview with Terry Gross on NPR’s “Fresh Air”:

EXTRACT:

TERRY GROSS: How did you get the part of Freddie Mercury? Did you ask to audition, or were you invited?

RAMI MALEK: I was invited, which just feels like a very rare thing, especially when you’re auditioning for someone as magnificent and iconic as Freddie Mercury. I was still shooting “Mr. Robot,” and the producers, Graham King and Denis O’Sullivan, called me out to Los Angeles. And I knew what the meeting was about, so I started watching as much archival footage as possible. Sat down in their office, and about five, six hours later, I left that office being told that I had the job. It’s something that I did not quite believe driving back home, but I guess, as it panned out, I did. [continues]

TRANSCRIPT