Bohemian Rhapsody wowed audiences (and the Academy) with its impeccable recreation of one of the greatest bands of all time. But how'd they pull it off?
In a behind-the-scenes featurette, cast members Rami Malek, Gwilym Lee, and Joe Mazzello talk about honing their musical skills for the movie, with a little help from actual Queen member Brian May.
For Malek, who had never played piano before he clinched the role, preparations involved taking piano lessons throughout. Lee (who plays May) and Mazzello (who plays Deacon) had a leg up, in that both of them already knew how to play guitar — but, as Mazzello says, "Nothing on this level. [May] is a master."
The end result is a group that, okay, doesn't quite reach Queen levels of greatness, but does tiptoe close enough to pass for it onscreen, while Hollywood magic takes care of the rest.
In the meantime, if you'd like to try and recapture that Queen spirit in your own home, try telling your Alexa to "play Ay-Oh live." She just might throw that "Ay-Oh" back at you, like the crowd in Queen's Live Aid performance.
Bohemian Rhapsody is available on Digital HD now.
