Freddie Mercury often remained a captivating baffling mystery, both during his life and after his death. The Oscar contender musical drama Bohemian Rhapsody sheds light on some aspects of the daily life of the Queen frontman, while also upholding his gauzy, larger-than-life persona. It has made almost $1 billion worldwide at the box office.
However, the film has received criticism – and not just because of the huge prosthetic teeth that Rami Malek so portrays in his portrayal of Mercury. In addition, it seems to many viewers to casually skip over his undeniable homosexuality, which was at the heart of the illness that ultimately claimed his life.
The real cause of Freddie Mercury’s death
Although it is now common knowledge that Mercury had HIV/AIDS, the master singer and musician did not publicly announce his prognosis until he died on November 24, 1991 at the age of 45. (Today he would be 72.) At the very last minute, the surprise announcement seemed to fit the Brit’s theatrical, eccentric personality, which was full of both dramatic entrances and exits.
Mercury died of AIDS-related complications after developing bronchial pneumonia and losing his immune system as a result of the disease. This was at a time when antiretroviral drugs that can dramatically extend patients’ lives were still out of reach in the medical community, even for someone with Mercury’s wealth and resources.
Mercury had known he was HIV positive since 1987, but many around him may not have known. Producer Dave Richards stated in a documentary: “There was absolutely no impression from me that he could have been ill.”
As Mercury continued to withdraw from public life, tabloids published a few rare images of him looking eerily thin and sick. Mercury attracted attention for his physique when he made his final public appearance to collect the Brit Award for outstanding contribution to British music for the critically acclaimed album Innuendo, released a year before he died.
“When we found out that Freddie had this terrible AIDS virus in his body, there was still disbelief in us.” Queen’s guitarist Brian May said. “You think, no, it can’t happen to our buddy, it can’t happen to Freddie. There will be a way out; he will be healed. And until the last minute we knew, but we didn’t know. We declined to know if you like it.
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Aside from Mercury’s admitted shyness and caution, HIV was stigmatized. That stigma is related, at least in part, to the fact that the LGBTQ community is disproportionately affected by HIV, particularly men who have male-to-male sexual intercourse. (HIV can infect anyone. If you have any questions, read the 8 HIV Misconceptions You Need to Stop Believing If You Have Any.)
Even from his bandmates and colleagues, whose sexual orientation he left notoriously ambiguous, Mercury kept his diagnosis a secret until it was too late. However, many around him knew that he had had male and female sexual partners over the years. (Today it is generally accepted that he was bis*xual.)
It’s hard to believe that Mercury didn’t hesitate to speak out about his sexual orientation at a time when it could have negatively affected his reputation as the frontman of one of the most prominent rock bands in history. However, Mercury had at least two intimate personal relationships that were made public outside of the spotlight.
He was once engaged to Mary Austin, who portrayed Lucy Boynton in the biopic Queen. Mary Austin remained his long-time confidante and friend until his passing, and she was assigned most of his estate, including his lavish London residence and upcoming recording royalties. (She continues to act as a careful spokesperson for her ex-boyfriend.) In addition, Mercury maintained a relationship with his stylist Jim Hutton from 1985 until his death.
While acknowledging this background, Bohemian Rhapsody purges Mercury’s membership in the LGBT underground and his drug and alcohol-driven lifestyle. Although he only mentions his male partners in passing, it strongly emphasizes his connection to Austin. You’d be excused if you feel a little off the loop, even after the two hours and more of playtime. That might shed some light on why Sacha Baron Coheninitially involved in the movie, left due to concerns it wouldn’t make it into the movie “accurate” of Mercury’s life.
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Without a doubt, Mercury had a lot more to offer the world when he died, especially in light of Queen’s unexpectedly prolific production through 1991. May said we worked in the studio until Freddie retired, and that we were a close-knit group. like a family.
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While there was some criticism of how long he kept his sexual orientation and diagnosis a secret from campaigners, it’s now clear that Mercury left on his terms. In an interview, he made defiant remarks about aging, ‘I do not give a hoot. I’ve lived a full life and don’t give a damn if I’m dead tomorrow.”
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