Freddie Mercury’s Legacy Lives on in the New Queen Biopic, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

The new blockbuster film, Bohemian Rhapsody, showcases the infamous rise of the British rock band Queen — and focuses heavily on the lead singer Freddie Mercury. 

Played by Rami Malek, Freddie was born Farrokh Bulsara and rose to stardom with his flamboyant stage presence, before his life was cut short following a battle with AIDS. The new biopic, titled after the titular song by the band, gives fans a glimpse into the legacy of the band and its frontman. 

Known not only for his outlandish stage presence, but the secrecy regarding his personal life, Rami tackles the chronological rendition of Freddie’s life leading up to the band’s legendary performance at the 1985 Live Aid concert. However, there is still so many questions fan have about the rock legend — from his public and private life. Keep scrolling to get the answers to those questions before watching Freddie on the big screen. 

Though Freddie was engaged to a woman named Mary Austin in the '70s, he eventually told his bride-to-be that he was sexually attracted to men. The two broke up, but remained close friends until his death, when she became his main beneficiary. The two never had children together, but Mary did have two sons with other partners. 

Fans of of the Queen frontman know that Freddie’s teeth were one of his iconic features. Born with extra teeth in the back of his mouth, his front teeth pushed out into an overbite. Reportedly, he refused surgery throughout the years, in fear it would affect his singing. 

Fast forward a few decades  and during an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Rami spoke about having to wear prop teeth to resemble the iconic singer. "I had these teeth that I wear, and the first time I put them in my mouth I felt incredibly insecure. Then I found myself compensating – sitting straight, more elegant," he said. "He had the best posture. You start to think, ‘Oh! These are the reasons why he is who he is.'"

The Queen frontman passed away on November 24, 1991, after suffering a complication from his AIDS diagnosis. He was only 45 years old at the time of his death. Though Freddie was reported to be a very sexually exploitive person, it is not publicly known exactly how he contracted AIDS. 

Reports of his diagnosis initially began to surface in the mid-80s, but he kept his health issues private, only telling close friends and family. On November 23, 1991, Freddie released a statement to the press, stating, "Following the enormous conjecture in the press over the last two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me.”

He continued, “However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with me, my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease.My privacy has always been very special to me and I am famous for my lack of interviews. Please understand this policy will continue.”

The very next day, the singer succumbed to his illness, passing from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. 

Following the passing of the late great singer, the band Queen never officially replaced the artist. In 2005, former singer of the band Free and Bad Company, Paul Rodgers, started touring with Queen; however, band member Brian May stated on his website that Paul would be "featured with" Queen on tour and not replacing Freddie.

In 2012, Queen officially announced that American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert, was named the new lead singer of the band. "The intention is to pay tribute to Freddie and the band by singing some f---king great songs. It’s to keep the music alive for the fans and give it an energy that Freddie would have been proud of," Adam told the DailyStar at the time. 

But let's face it, Freddie is irreplaceable.