5 Times ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Movie Was Totally Inaccurate

Published on November 21, 2018

Bohemian Rhapsody, the biopic on famed rock superstar Freddie Mercury and the band Queen, is finally out in theatres. Many Queen fans rushed to see the movie not only to enjoy the music but to learn about their favorite band’s history. However, viewers need to take into account the theatrical exaggerations that Bohemian Rhapsody takes with Mercury’s life. Here are five plot points you may not have realized were totally inaccurate in the movie:

The Dramatic Relationship Between Freddie Mercury Mary Austin

It is true that Freddie Mercury had a long-time girlfriend, Mary Austin, who he proposed to before coming out as gay. However, the proposal wasn’t flashy as it was in the movie. According to Austin, “He gave me a big box on Christmas Day. Inside was another box, then another and so it went on… Eventually, I found a lovely jade ring inside the last small box.” When their engagement ended, it wasn’t the estranged relationship shown in the movie. The two remained friends until Mercury’s death in 1991.

Freddie Mercury Never Quit Queen To Go Solo

In the movie, Mercury tells his bandmates he’s tired of the life and wants to go solo. Of course, his bandmates are upset, with Roger Taylor accusing him, “You just killed Queen.” Though the band did take a break in 1982, no one actually quit. Mercury, Taylor, and Brian May all went to work on solo projects. They stayed in touch, and the break was cathartic for the entire band.

Paul Prenter, The Evil Manager

Mercury’s personal manager Paul Prenter is the quintessential villain in Bohemian Rhapsody. In the movie, he is controlling and deceptive, and leaks secrets about Mercury’s life to the press after Freddie fires him. In real life, Prenter worked for Mercury until after Live Aid in 1985. The press leaks did happen, but before Prenter was fired. He gave the Sun newspaper details for their defamatory “AIDS Kills Freddie’s Two Lovers” article, and was promptly fired afterward.

The Setup for Live Aid Was Totally Inaccurate

In Bohemian Rhapsody, the band’s invitation to perform at Live Aid was because the band was broken up. But we know the band was never actually broken up. In truth, the show organizer Bob Geldof wasn’t on board at first to invite them, and the band wasn’t happy with the stage setup or the time of the performance (they would have to play in daylight). Luckily for the rock world, both parties decided to forego the issues and put on one of the most iconic live shows in history.

Freddie’s Diagnosis Was All Wrong In The Movie

The movie skews Freddie’s life timeline in several ways, but the most notable is putting his AIDS diagnosis right before the Live Aid concert. Mercury wasn’t actually diagnosed until 1987, two years afterward. This decision was most criticized, however the filmmakers wanted to end the movie triumph rather than tragedy. They decided it would be better to change the timeline rather than disappoint viewers or skip the AIDS diagnosis altogether.