Queen guitarist Brian May says we can expect a biopic of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury to coincide with the band's 40th anniversary. A biopic isn't surprising, but the man aping to play Mercury is. Borat's Sacha Baron Cohen has the acting chops needed to play the charismatic singer -- plus, in addition to being able to grow the serious 'stache the role would require, Cohen kinda looks like Mercury. We here at Wayward thought it pertinent to drum up five oddly perfect, hypothetical, actor-musican matchups for even more hypothetical biopics.
The Musician: Alan Vega
The Actor: Jeff Goldblum
Who is Alan Vega? As one-half of noise anarchists Suicide, Vega was one of the original punk godfathers. Suicide is a band whose music has become increasingly prophetic, and Vega -- who's still donning headbands, using his stilted chant baritone, and popping up in M.I.A. talk-show performances -- seems like some kind of creepy, cultish music institution. There's a sly charm to Vega's persona, so, in addition to kinda looking like the younger Vega, Goldblum's stuttered nuerotic persona matches Vega's nicely.
The Musician: Tricky
The Actor: Marlon Wayans
Tricky -- the always down-and-bruised fellow who is a former Massive Attack member -- has distinctive characteristics and poses. He's somehow both a bit gaunt and muscle-bound, and looks menacing without necessarily meaning to. Marlon Wayans is member of the Wayans, who brought us White Chicks and its spirit-sequel spirit-remake, Little Man. But Wayans -- more than sorta looking like Tricky, with his toned body and similar facial structure -- has the ability to play the perpetual downer, if his dramatic performance in Requiem for a Dream is any indication.
The Musician: Laurie Anderson
The Actress: Annette Benning
Laurie Anderson is not only Lou Reed's life partner but also a leading figure in the pop-avant movement of the '70s and '80s, incorporating electronic and live productions into multimedia symphonies. Anderson's widespread, diffused influence has infiltrated many genres, and her debut, Big Science, has had a second life as a reliable source for hip-hop samples. Though Annette Benning is often billed as one of today's greatest actresses, she can get caught up in neurotic loops in her acting. Yet her serious and genial charm -- which is reflected in Big Science -- would score Benning's role as Anderson in our hypothetical biopic.
The Musician: Alexander Skip Spence
The Actor: Dana Carvey
Carvey was once a talented comedy actor whose shtick would run thin only some of the time. He could take the traditional route toward redemption for comedic actors: by playing a culturally important, yet largely unknown dead musician in a biopic. For that purpose, I nominate Alexander Skip Spence of Moby Grape and his own stunning solo folk as a worthy vehicle for Carvey to ride back into critics' good graces. (Besides, Carvey kinda looks like him.)
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