Look, earlier this year when Mr. Robot star Rami Malek won an Oscar for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody it was, shall we say, surprising. Search for it on Google and the top “People also ask” question is “Does Rami Malek deserve an Oscar?” It’s not that the actor wasn’t good, it’s that the movie left a lot to be desired. But if there’s one thing about Malek’s performance that is award-worthy, it’s Malek’s accent.
“This is amazing,” says dialect coach Erik Singer. “This performance deserves every plaudit that it got.”
It wasn’t just the accent that Malek got right. According to Singer, he nailed Mercury’s particular idiolect, or the very specific manner of speaking that each person has. In playing the Queen front man, Malek not only nailed Mercury’s s sounds, he also did wonders incorporating his teeth prosthetics into his performance. He does all of it so well, all Singer can say is “wow.”
What about the idiolects performed by Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, Christian Bale as former vice president Dick Cheney in Vice, or Jennifer Lawrence in Joy? Watch the video above to find out Singer’s take on each one.
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