Bohemian Rhapsody, the new biopic about one of the biggest rock bands in history, is really the story of one of the greatest front-men in history, Queen guitarist Brian May has told Sky News.
Speaking at the film's world premiere at Wembley, the musician said the film is "not a Queen movie, it's a Freddie movie".
Starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, the film follows the "tears and joy" and the "humour and heartbreak" of Queen's rise to the top, culminating in their Live Aid performance in 1985.
May said it had been an emotional experience seeing the story recreated for the big screen.
"The whole deal was to do Freddie justice in a way that he would enjoy and would be worthy of him," he said.
"It's all there, the humour is there, the talent is there, the heartbreak is there.
"There's a lot of tears and a lot of joy in this movie. So yes, it's always Freddie. Freddie, Freddie, Freddie. Because this is the one chance we got to make the film about Freddie."
Ten years in the making, May said it was a special moment attending the film's premiere and knowing fans can now see it for themselves.
"I feel very over-excited," he said.
"We're like children… because of course you expect it because we've been on this journey, we've seen the film a lot, but this moment is very special.
"It's a one-off. Who would ever think this would happen in their lifetime?"
May is played by Gwilym Lee in the film, and says the actor did a pretty good job.
"My kids saw the trailer and they said, 'Dad, you must have done the voice for him.'
"I said no, he's an actor, he's a great actor. He really is."
May attended the premiere alongside Queen drummer Roger Taylor, as well as the stars of the film, who walked a purple carpet to a soundtrack of We Will Rock You, Fat Bottomed Girls, Somebody To Love and other Queen hits.
Freddie "would have loved it", he said.
Speaking about taking on such a significant role, Malek told Sky News it was an "immense responsibility" and had been "daunting" at first.
"He was beloved by hundreds of millions, for generations, and will be for generations," he said of the "revolutionary" Mercury.
"I just put everything I had into it… I wanted to do him justice and honour him. It was an immense amount of work but something I enjoyed thoroughly throughout."
Through the film, "you get to see a young group of misfits coming of age, making these songs, trying to rise to the top," Malek said.
"It's a great story. You get to see how the songs were made and eventually put on stage… and when you watch it, it's almost like you're right there."
Mercury lived an incredible life, and the film comes "as close as possible" to covering it "in a two-hour journey", he said.
Above all, said Malek, it's about "triumph over tragedy".
Both Malek and Lucy Boynton, who plays Mercury's fiancee Mary Austin, addressed criticism about the film "straight-washing" the singer's sexuality.
Malek said Mercury, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 1991, "refused to be segregated, marginalised or defined by any one thing".
"We definitely show every aspect of his life and I think that the point of a movie like this is to celebrate Freddie Mercury," he continued.
"If you wallow in certain things then I think you remove the joy he gave so many people. I'm here to celebrate the joy."
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Boynton said the film was respectful to a man who was very private about his private life, saying "you never want to cross a line into intrusiveness".
:: Bohemian Rhapsody is released in the UK on Wednesday.
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