Mamma Mia (2008)

This popular film uses the music of Swedish band ABBA

Summary

-Donna is a hotel owner preparing for her daughter's wedding with help from two old friends. While bride to be Sophie invites three men from her mother's past to her wedding to determine which one is her biological father

Cast

-Amanda Seyfried: Sophie

-Stellan Skaarsgard: Bill Anderson

-Pierce Brosnan: Sam Carmichael

-Colin Firth: Harry Bright

-Meryl Streep: Donna

-Julie Walters: Rosie

-Christine Baranski: Tanya

-Ricardo Montez: Stavros

-Norma Atallah: Irini

-Dominic Cooper: Sky

Did You Know?

-Stellan Skarsgard said about this movie "It was absurd to ask me to be in a musical. I can't sing, I can't dance. And I saw it was also Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, and they can't sing and dance either, so I felt a little safer there."

-Meryl Streep saw the musical in October 2001 with her daugter Louisa. She wrote letters to the producers, praising them for bringing a bit of happiness and light into New York City after the recent 9/11 terrorist attacks

-On an episode of Inside the Actor's Studio, Colin Firth was asked the question "If Heaven exists, what would you like God to say when you arrive at the pearly gates?" He responded with "I personally thought you were very good in Mamma Mia"

-All of the cast members did their own singing

-Stellan Skarsgard explained why he flashed his bare backside. "We decided that I should be cooking on the boat. I thought I should have an apron on. The director (Phyllida Llody) did not know that I would be naked under there, and have those butt tattoos. So when the camera rolled, I turned around right in front of it. The cameraman jumped and screamed, while Phyllida keeled over laughing."

-The boat Bill Anderson captains features the flag of Sweden, the native country of both Stellan Skarsgard and ABBA

-Three of the members of ABBA are from Sweden, just like actor Stellan Skarsgard, who plays Bill Anderson. The other member of ABBA is Anni-Frida Lyngstad, who is Norwegian

-Initially Cher was offered a role in this film, to play Tanya Wilkinson. Because of commitments to concerts, she couldn't do it. She did appear in the 2018 sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, playing Ruby Sheridan

-Colin Firth poked fun at the James Bond series by saying "I'm Bright, Harry Bright" when he was standing next to Pierce Brosnan. Pierce had played the role of James Bond in at least four films of the series. Meanwhile Firth starred in his own series of spy films, Kingsman: The Secret Service in 2014 and Kingsman: The Golden Circle in 2017

-In the original musical on stage, Bill Austin was an Australian character. This was a tribute to ABBA's popularity in Australia. For this movie, Bill's last name was changed to Anderson, to make it Swedish, like Stellan Skarsgard, who plays that character and like the group ABBA

-Actor Bill Nighy was considered for one of the roles of the fathers

-Colin Firth (Harry Bright) actually used to play guitar in a band

-This was the first movie shot on the new 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios after a fire that happened when the 2006 film Casino Royale finished up. The stage was used for the song and dance numbers that could not be filmed in sunny Greece

-The song at the wedding scene, "Knowing Me, Knowing You" was considered inappropriate for a wedding because it's about divorce. "Knowing me, knowing you, there is nothing we can do. Knowing me, knowing you, we just have to face it this time we're through. Breaking up is never easy, I know but I have to go."

-In the film, using the real ages of the actors, when Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) was born, Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep) was 36, Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgard) was 34, Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan) was 32 and Harry Bright (Colin Firth) was 25

-Donny Osmond was considered for the role of Sam Carmichael. This role went to Pierce Brosnan

-This film surpassed the 1993 film Mrs. Doubtfire as Pierce Brosnan's highest-grossing film in the world. But, domestically, Mrs. Doubtfire is still highly successful

15 Artists Worthy of Doing the Next James Bond Theme

James Bond is one of the most iconic film characters in the world. Each film has a unique theme to it, usually being the name of the movie. But, in years past, the films have had opening themes that are not always named after the film, for example "You Know My Name" by Chris Cornell for the 2006 film Casino Royale. But, even if the song is the same as the film, it's still a pretty good opening theme. Ultimate Classic Rock has compiled a list of artists who could possibly pull off a successful James Bond theme

-Some of the artists who have written themes for the 007 series include:

• Paul McCartney: Live and Let Die
• A-Ha: The Living Daylights
• Duran Duran: A View to a Kill
• Madonna: Die Another Day
• Adele: Skyfall
• Chris Cornell: You Know My Name (Casino Royale)
• Carly Simon: Nobody Does It Better
• Tina Turner: Goldeneye, License to Kill
• Jack White: Another Way to Die

It's a major honor for sure. In 1973, a former executive for The Beatles' Apple Records named Ron Kass approached Paul McCartney. He was working with Harry Saltzman, who co-produced the first 9 James Bond films. Kass suggested to McCartney the idea of writing the theme for the 1974 film Live and Let Die, which would be the first film to feature Roger Moore as the title role of 007. McCartney played it cool, writing in his book The Lyrics: 1965 to the Present "Writing a Bond song is a bit of an accolade. And I always had a sneaking ambition to do it. I said 'Yeah, I'd probably be interested.'...trying not to seem too enthusiastic."

At the time of the writing of this article, there are approximately 25 films officially in the 007 series. 27 if you consider the two films not made by EON, which is the primary production company making the James Bond films. Director Dennis Villeneuve is said to direct the next outing for 007, though it's not clear who the role will go to, when the movie will be released or who will write the theme song

Oasis. Or at least Noel Gallager

-December 2025 seen a fan asking Liam Gallagher on social media about the rumors of Oasis being asked to write the next Bond theme song. His reply was as follows: "It's happening you wait till you hear it it's the best BOND tune ever." Oasis fans tend to take his words with a bit of skepticism. the following month, his brother / bandmate Noel cleared the rumors, stating there had been no contact with any of the film's producers, but he did state that if there were any offers, he would accept an offer "in a heartbeat" if it were presented. He told TalkSports "I think those kinds of things should be done by Brits not Yanks."

Bob Dylan

-Certainly an unusual choice. Maybe not. His songs "Man in a Long Black Coat" and "Murder Most Foul" have an aura of mystery about them. That would certainly apply to the Bond theme, lending an air of mystery about the film. He's not a stranger at all to making film references in his music. He's very well versed in film history. In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song, "People will tell you that they don't watch old movies for a bunch of reasons, because they are in black and white or maybe there's a two-minute sequence that changing times have rendered politically incorrect. These people lack imagination and are fine throwing out the baby with the bathwater."

Nick Cave

-His theatrical style is dark, gloomy and dramatic, making you feel like you're watching Phantom of the Opera more than rock music. But, at least one thing going for him is that he does have prior acting experience. His style of music would actually make a pretty good Bond theme. It's said he could even play Bond himself. His music is intense, emotionally, at times, and he does write songs centering on revenge, death, violence and evil, all topics that seem to pop up in the 007 films

Radiohead

-This band did actually do a Bond song. In 2015, they wrote and recorded a song called "Spectre", which was intended for use on the film of the same name. This song and "Man of War" were rejected, using Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall" instead. "Spectre" and "Man of War" were released by Radiohead on their own, but many feel they need a second shot at writing a Bond theme

Tears for Fears

-Curt Smith of the band has some experience writing film scores. He wrote the music for Meth Head, a film that came out in 2011 and Gravy, a film that came out in 2015. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a possible consideration for a Bond song

St. Vincent

-This singer is known for moody, emotional music that practically advertises itself as perfect for 007. During a 2024 interview for Rolling Stone UK, she jokingly said her song "Violent Times" give a mysterious Bond vibe. "It was not intentional when I was writing the song whatsoever, but I have noticed that and, yeah, I totally hear it." She stated that if producers came to her to ask for a theme song, she would not object at all. "H--- yeah! I love those movies. Can we just put "Violent Times" in there as the song? Stick it straight in, because if [Bond producer Barbara Broccoli is] reading this it'll save me a h--- of a lot of work."

Elton John

-He's a legend in British music. His voice is filled with emotion on many of his slower songs and it's absolutely gorgeous. Elton John seems like the type who would already have a Bond theme associated with his name, but sadly, this is not the case. He certainly does have his two cents on what would make a good theme. In 2002, during an interview with Sky Sports, he described the theme Madonna sang, "Die Another Day" as "the worst Bond tune ever," despite being a fan of her music. "It hasn't got a tune. James Bond themes are usually very camp and this one's different...They should have gone for somebody like Lulu and Shirley Bassey, or maybe I'm in that league?"

The Killers

-Rumors were a plenty in 2006 that The Killers were being considered as the artists to compose the next Bond theme. The Sun found out from an anonymous source "The Killers have reached the perfect point in their career to do a Bond track. They have the right sound, right look and a huge fanbase, making them the perfect choice." Obviously it has not come to completion, but there's always a chance for them

Alanis Morissette

-There are plenty of women who have composed a James Bond song, including Carly Simon, Shirley Bassey, Nancy Sinatra, Gladys Knight, Madonna, Adele Rita Coolidge, Tina Turner and others. Alanis Morissette would make an interesting addition to that list, with his multi-octave voice and adaptable singing voice

Johnny Marr

-It might be a bit far fetched to suggest him, but technically speaking, Johnny Marr already has his name attached to a Bond theme. On the soundtrack for the 2021 film No Time to Die, he played guitar on the title theme, which was performed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell. It would be interesting if Marr wrote and even sang it

Chris Stapleton

-Some feel that James Bond and country music simply don't mix. Chris Stapleton is very far from average country music. He's more southern rock, pulling bits and pieces from blue and traditional rock and roll. His song "Cold" has been suggested as sounding like something from a Bond film

Queens of the Stone Age (or at least Josh Homme)

-Someone with a bit too much time on their hands decided to make a mashup of Adele's "Skyfall", the titular track from the 2015 Bond film of the same name and Queens of the Stone Age's "No One Knows". Together, both songs worked well. That should state they should have a fair chance of writing the next Bond theme. Or at least Josh Homme should have a say in writing it

Iron Maiden

-Certainly a metal Bond theme would be interesting and even incredibly awesome. Who better to do it than one of the biggest names in metal themselves? Iron Maiden. To put it in an alternative way, Iron Maiden is to metal what James Bond is to spy films. Plus, Iron Maiden does have extensive experience working with a full orchestra. Sounds like Iron Maiden deserves a chance

Patti Smith

-Patti Smith had never written a song for a movie up until 2014. That rule changed with "Mercy Is", which appeared in the film Noah. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Smith said "Well, I mean, if they want a song for a James Bond film, they wouldn't go to me, you know? They'll go to someone that, you know, has the touch on the public consciousness, who has a strong contemporary voice and I understand that. I really actually never have been sought after to write songs for a movie - but my songs have been in movies." I think she would write an interesting one

Annie Lennox

-She is another vocalist who had rumors swirling about her involvement with writing the next Bond theme. See the cover of Lennox's solo album Diva. She's wearing a headdress that was actually used in the 1983 film Octopussy. With her strong status as a British icon of music, her voice would make a great song for a Bond film

2019's Biggest Rock Stories

We all know that every day there is some big story in the world of music. 2019 seems to have hit the high water mark for history. 2020 however is strongly competing with it. Reunion tours, massive tours, releases of autobiographies/biographies of musicians? 2020 is turning out to be a great year to be a fan of music and it's not even 2020 yet! To finish off the year right, here are some of 2019's biggest stories in rock and metal

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees include Soundgarden, Doobie Brothers

-Until the 202 nomination list for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame came out, the Doobie Brothers and Soundgarden were never on the list. They are next year. But, in addition to them, some of the other notables for induction include Motorhead, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Pat Benatar, all of whom have been nominated but never inducted.

Kiss kick off their "End of the Road" tour

-First off, me and my sister saw their show at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH and it was amazing. Not only was it amazing because we were seeing them live, but it was amazing because it was my sister's first time seeing Kiss live. They played two of her favorite songs- "Beth" and I Was Made for Loving You" in addition to all her other favorites. These guys are known for having "farewell" tours. This is not shocking. But considering their ages, this might be it, who knows. Their "supposed" last show is said to be on July 17, 2020 in New York City

More farewell tours

-Obviously the musicians we love are not spring chickens anymore. Some are doing farewell concerts and tours because they are not getting any younger and can't handle the tour-album-tour cycle anymore. Elton John kicked off a farewell tour in 2018. He dubbed it the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road tour. It will continue on through 2018, 2019 and into 2020. Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd are currently doing their Last of the Street Survivors tour. This one started in 2019 and will most likely carry on until 2020. Deep Purple is on tour, dubbing it The Long Goodbye. Peter Frampton is embarking on his own farewell tour after learning of his diagnosis of a rare degenerative disease that weakens his muscles, leaving him unable to play guitar, piano or anything. Other bands include Slayer on their The Final Campaign tour, UFO on their Last Orders tour and Krokus on their The Final Tour.

Cream drummer Ginger Baker dies at age 80

-This guy was an inspiration to a lot of aspiring drummers. Cream was one of the first successful trios that showed that sometimes a successful band only needs three members. He was the drummer of Cream and Blind Faith. He passed away on Oct. 6 and will be terribly missed

Rick Ocasek of The Cars passed away at 75

-On Sept. 15, the world lost Ric Ocasek, who had passed away in his sleep. His estranged wife Paulina Porizkova had discovered the body only a few weeks after going in for some light surgery. Although later on, the cause of death was said to be hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. What I think may have been more shocking, especially to his estranged wife, was that she was cut completely out of the will Ocasek had drawn up. When he died, she got nothing. So obviously the divorce did not end well.

Eddie Money passes away at 70

-The legendary singer behind hits like "Baby, Hold On", "Take Me Home Tonite", "Two Tickets to Paradise", has passed away from stage four throat cancer. He died on Sept. 13. His cancer was so severe that he simply did not catch it in time. When he did catch it, it was already at stage 4 and had metastasized to his stomach and liver.

Other musicians who departed

-In addition to the vast array of musicians who have left us, let's give some love to others who have died. Peter Tork of The Monkees died in February at age 77. Talk Talk front man Mark Hollis died the same month at 64. March also had some losses. Scott Walker died at age 76. Dick Dale died at age 81. Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter died in September at age 78. .38 Special bassist and Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder Larry Junstrom died in October at age 70. Little Feat guitarist Paul Barrere died in October at 71

Doobie Brothers reunite with Michael McDonald

-Doobie Brothers fans: you are about to hear GREAT NEWS!! The Doobie Brothers, that is right, you are reading this right, are reuniting with Michael McDonald. A 2020 world tour is in the works. So if you are a fan, start doing major research to see if they are coming to a town near you. This will be the first album with McDonald since the mid 1990s, when they were first nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From June 9-Oct. 17 of 2020 is when their tour is said to last

Bohemian Rhapsody wins big at the Oscars

-The movie revolves around how legendary rockers Queen got their start. The movie had mixed reviews. Out of the five categories it was nominated in, it won four. So it was a big night for the surviving members of Queen and the actors and actresses who appeared in the movie. Rami Malek took home the statue for Best Actor for his role of Freddie Mercury. The movie also took home awards for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing. It lost Best Picture to Green Book

 

Motley Crue back on tour

-So much for retirement. That certainly took a flying leap out the window. They had only been retired for five years but now there is a video showing all four original members destroying their contracts. They announced they would be doing a stadium tour with Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett in 2020. They all stated that the reason they want to take up touring again is because of the release of the Netflix biopic The Dirt and a serious rise in popularity of their music, being both bought on CDs and downloaded from music sites.

The film Yesterday sees a world with out The Beatles

-The premise of the film Yesterday is about an Anglo-Indian musician (Himesh Patel) who is able to remember and know everything about The Beatles. But trying to convince everyone else is a whole other story. He manages to pass off the music as his own and becomes an overnight celebrity. Ed Sheeran appears in the movie, as himself and ends up becoming the aspiring musician's friend. But, of course, the lie he carries and the newfound fame take a toll on himself and his relationships with his close friend and manager, he has to decide what is more important. The movie managed to rake in $151 million at the box office. Most likely, a good percentage of those sales were from Beatles fans

The Dirt appears on Netflix

-The title of the movie stems from a biopic book about how Motley Crue got started. The film included 14 songs from Crue's varied career, including a cover of Madonna's "Like a Virgin". In the film, rapper Machine Gun Kelly plays Tommy Lee.

Twisted Sister Frontman Dee Snider Blasts NFL

That's right. You read this right. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider blasts NFL

It was decided that for this upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show that the artist in question to perform would be Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. This is not sitting well with legendary Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider. He expressed his strong disapproval at this, saying that one of the biggest events of the year is, once again, ignoring hard rock and heavy metal, despite the fact that some of these artists' songs can be heard playing in the background

He tweeted "WTF!? @shakira and @jlo for this year's @nfl halftime show!? Once again the great heavy music that rocks the stadiums week after week, game after game is completely ignored. I guess we don't shake our ass enough!!"

These words echo what he tweeted earlier after this year's performance by Maroon 5. He listed ten songs from legendary acts like Queen, AC/DC, Guns 'N' Roses, Twisted Sister that get crowds on their feet and their fists pumping. But these household names get overlooked when it comes to the halftime show.

He tweeted again "Hey @NFL! Your go-to songs at EVERY game are metal. 'Enter Sandman,' 'Cum On Feel the Noise,' 'Thunder[struck],' 'Crazy Train,' 'We're Not Gonna Take It,' 'We Are the Champions,' 'Final Countdown,' 'I Wanna Rock,' 'We Will Rock You,' 'Welcome to Jungle.' NONE of those bands have EVER played half-time show!"

Def Leppard finally gets inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

That's right! You heard it right! Def Leppard has finally been inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame.

The bands getting inducted include: Def Leppard, The Cure, Radiohead, Roxy Music, The Zombies and Stevie Nicks. To be eligible for this, an artist must be around for at least 25 years after their first album release.

The people inducting these artists in include Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, Brian May of Queen, Janelle Monae, Harry Styles of One Direction, David Byrne, Simon Le Bon, John Taylor of Duran Duran, Susannah Hoffs of The Bangles

The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia-Vicki Lawrence

I honestly can't believe that Vicki Lawrence can sing!! I love this song!! I also can't believe that Vicki Lawrence originally wrote and sang this song!!

I also love the Reba McEntire cover too!!

John Deacon

This man is the bassist for rock band Queen

Birth name: John Richard Deacon
DOB: 8/19/1951
Where: Leicester, Leicestershire, England

Trademark


His Fender Precision bass guitar

Trivia
-One of his biggest songwriting credits is "Another One Bites the Dust"
-John and his wife Veronica Tetzlaff have six kids: Michael, Robert, Laura, Joshua, Luke, Cameron
-He has an electronics degree from Chelsea College - London University
-His last performance with the band Queen was on Sept. 17, 1997, at the Theatre National de Chaillot in Paris, France
-He was put in charge of the band's finances
-Out of all the members of Queen, Deacon was the only one who never sang any lead vocals
-"You're My Best Friend" is dedicated to his wife Veronica
-Was portrayed by Joseph Mazzello in the film Bohemian Rhapsody.


Ben Hardy (Roger Taylor) and Joseph Mazzello (John Deacon)

Roger Taylor

This man is the drummer for rock band Queen.

Birth name: Roger Meddows Taylor
DOB: 7/26/1949
Where: Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England

Trivia
-He, alongside Queen, performed at Live Aid, where 80s pop band Duran Duran played. This band also has a drummer named Roger Taylor
-Loves classic cars. This inspired his song "I'm In Love with My Car"
-Has five children. Actor Felix Taylor, Dr. Rory Eleanor Taylor, drummer Rufus Taylor, model Tigerlily Taylor, fashion model/photographer Lola-Leng Taylor


Proud dad Roger and daughter Tigerlily

-He appeared in drag in two videos- "I Want to Break Free" by Queen and "The Great Pretender" by Freddie Mercury
-Started out studying dentistry, but received a degree in biology
-He shares a birthday with Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger
-He can play multiple instruments in addition to drums. He can play guitar, bass guitar and keyboards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-He was portrayed by Ben Hardy in the film Bohemian Rhapsody.

Brian May

This is the primary guitarist for the band Queen.

Birth name: Brian Harold May
DOB: 7/19/1947
Where: Hampton, Middlesex, England

Trademark
-Plays his guitar with a sixpence coin


His extremely curly hair

-His unique guitar riffs

Trivia
-He has three kids with ex-wife Chrissie Mullens: son James, born in 1978, daughter Louisa, born in 1981, daughter Emily, born in 1987
-He attended Imperial College at London University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science, majoring in physics and mathematics. He was working on a doctorate in astronomy, but dropped out to form Queen
-He once taught math at Stockwell Park Secondary School in Stockwell, Southwest London
-He resumed his pursuit of a PhD in astronomy later on. He later presented a dissertation on motion of interstellar dust
-The songs credited to him are: Fat Bottom Girls, Tie Your Mother Down, Keep Yourself Alive, Thirty-Nine (which he sings lead vocals on)

-He is very close friends with Tony Iommi, principal guitarist with Black Sabbath

-Was portrayed by Gwilym Lee in the film Bohemian Rhapsody

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury, for those who don't know, was the iconic front man for legendary but severely underrated rock band Queen. Seriously, Queen is so far underrated it is pathetic. These guys broke records and defied stereotypes, but do they get the recognition they deserve? NO! Instead, they get overlooked for more overrated bands like Led Zeppelin

Birth Name: Farrokh Bomi Bulsara
DOB: 9/5/1946
Where: Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania
DOD: 11/24/1991
Where: Kensington, London, England (AIDS-related pneumonia)

Trademark


Used the top half of a microphone stand when singing

He always placed his microphone under his belt

-Insanely operatic vocals
-Mustache
-Pronounced overbite
-High energy stage performances



Sometimes unusual stage costumes

Trivia
-He strongly supported the British monarchy. He was inspired by both this and the sexual innuendo of the word "queen" to name the band Queen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-His ancestors originated in Persia and emigrated to India in the 7th century. As a result of not wanting to convert to Islam, they became Zoroastrians

-He willingly chose not to get corrective surgery on his famous overbite because he fear it would damage his voice

-When the band Smile, who consisted of Brian May and Roger Taylor and two other members, split up, Freddie joined up with the band to reform the band into Queen

-When Freddie died, he demanded that a very vast majority of his estate go to his good friend Mary Austin. The remainder was left to his parents, his chef Joe Fanelli, assistant Peter Freestone, driver Terry Giddings, his partner Jim Hutton

-Growing up, he was an avid stamp collector
-He attended Ealing College of Art, where he studied art and graphic design. This education helped him design Queen's famous logo, called the Queen Crest

-He was an avid cat lover

-Despite being buried in the Zoroastrian tradition of the family, he hardly practiced the family religion

-What inspired him to create the famous Queen Crest was using the birth signs of his fellow band members. Two lions for Roger and John (Leo), a crab for Brian (Cancer), two fairies for himself (Virgo)

-A good majority of his ancestry is Persian
-In 1987, he was diagnosed with HIV, which eventually morphs into AIDS
-Police bassist/front man Sting dedicated his song "Shadows in the Rain" to Mercury
-Eric Carr, the second drummer for hard rock band Kiss and Freddie Mercury died within hours of each other, dying on Nov. 24, 1991. Mercury died of AIDS-related pneumonia and Eric Carr died of heart cancer
-Two months prior to his death, Freddie recorded the song "The Show Must Go On". He was very physically weak from AIDS and was unable to stand. Brian May told him that he would sing the vocals for him. Mercury didn't allow that and he gathered all of his strength and did the song perfectly in one take
-Paul Gambaccini, a DJ who was a good friend of Mercury's, said he suspected Mercury would die of AIDS as early as 1983 in various interviews that he had done over the years. He met Mercury in a gay bar and was strongly warning him about "this new disease" that is plaguing the gay communities. He asked Mercury if he was taking precautions against it and Mercury responded "fuck it, I'm doing everything with everybody".

-Was portrayed by Rami Malek in the film Bohemian Rhapsody