Peter Freestone, Freddie Mercury's personal assistant and close friend for 12 years, has criticised the film Bohemian Rhapsody for portraying a major conflict that he says never happened. In an interview with Express Online, Freestone claimed the movie falsely showed Mercury taking an unpopular solo break that alienated his bandmates, forcing him to beg for forgiveness before Live Aid.
Freestone explained that while the film presents Mercury's solo deal as a dramatic rift, bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor had also released solo projects before him. 'The fact is, Roger had already done two solo albums and Brian had done one. The big thing was that Freddie got more money. Freddie was never going to leave the band,' he said.
The film also suggests Queen had not played together for years before Live Aid, making their performance a gamble. However, Freestone noted they had just finished a tour a month or two prior, including two record-breaking nights at Rock in Rio in January 1985 and the final leg of The Works World Tour in April and May.
Despite the criticisms, Freestone acknowledged the film's success and urged fans to view it as entertainment, not a documentary. 'It is a film, not a documentary. If you want a documentary, there are loads on YouTube you can watch,' he said. Bohemian Rhapsody earned over $900 million worldwide and won multiple awards.
