Sacha Baron Cohen ‘will perform as Freddie Mercury’ at the AFL Grand Final in Perth after walking away from Bohemian Rhapsody biopic due to ‘creative differences’ with Queen
- Borat star, 49, was set to play Queen singer in 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody
- But he quit over ‘creative differences’ with the band and was replaced by Rami Malek, who won a Best Actor Oscar for the role
- There are now rumours he’ll perform in character as Mercury at AFL Grand Final
- The event, considered the Super Bowl of Australian Rules football, will take place in Perth on September 25
- Baron Cohen has been living in Sydney for nearly a year with his wife, Isla Fisher
The 2021 AFL Grand Final is just weeks away, and rumours are swirling the event will include a very special performance courtesy of Sacha Baron Cohen.
There is speculation the British comedian, 49, will provide pre-match entertainment in character as late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury when the event is held at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday, September 25.
The gossip started when a listener told Triple M’s Breakfast with Basil, Xav & Jenna they’d heard the news from a reliable source in the footy world.
Rumours: On Monday, a wild claim emerged from a radio caller saying that Sacha Baron Cohen (L) could be performing as Freddie Mercury (R) at the AFL Grand Final singing We Are The Champions
‘Who is in Perth right now? Sacha,’ the caller asked, noting how Baron Cohen and his family had last month travelled from Sydney to Western Australia.
‘Sacha has been given the heads-up to do the song,’ they added.
‘Sacha Baron Cohen is going to sing this song on Grand Final day?’ one of the hosts then asked, which prompted another to say: ‘He’d be very good!’
Down Under: Sacha Baron Cohen, his wife Isla Fisher and their children are currently in Western Australia. The family relocated Down Under from the US amid the pandemic
A long list of celebrities have performed at the AFL Grand Final in the past, including Ed Sheeran, The Killers, Jimmy Barnes and Chris Isaak.
Daily Mail Australia have reached out to the AFL and to a representative for Sacha Baron Cohen for comment on the rumour.
Cohen, 49, was all set to star as the Queen frontman in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody long before Rami Malek took the lead.
He ended up walking away from the project, in what was described as ‘creative differences’ with the other members of the band.
Project: Cohen, 49, was all set to star as the Queen frontman in Bohemian Rhapsody, before Rami Malek took the lead. He ended up walking away from the project, in what was described as ‘creative differences’ with the other members of the band. Pictured with wife Isla Fisher
Meanwhile, the AFL Grand Final is taking place at Perth’s Optus Stadium for the first time ever this year, as Melbourne continues to battle an outbreak of Covid-19.
Victoria will lose Australia’s biggest annual sporting event for the second year running, after it was held in Brisbane last year during the city’s second wave.
Optus Stadium, which opened in January 2018, holds a capacity of 60,000 people, making it one of the biggest grounds in Australia.
Impressive: Perth’s Optus Stadium, which opened in January 2018, holds a capacity of 60,000 people, making it one of the biggest grounds in Australia