How many cats did freddie mercury have

Photo Credit: BustleBohemian Rhapsody follows the life of a legend, Freddie Mercury, the frontman of Queen. It features how Queen became one of the iconic bands in the world. The movie exceeds its gross expectation of $10 million to $50 million on its first opening weekend. Regardless of reviews, the film came out exceptional because of Freddie himself and his cats, the true highlight of his life story. In fact, Freddie’s real-life devotion to his cats is more than what is being portrayed in big screens.“Freddie treated the cats like his own children,” said Jim Hutton in his memoir ‘Mercury and Me’, Mercury’s boyfriend for over seven years. “He would constantly fuss over them, and if any of them came to any harm when Freddie was away, heaven help us.”It was Mary Austin, his greatest love-turned-friend, who introduced him to felines in the 70s. The first pair of cats was Tom and Jerry.Peter Freestone, his personal assistant is a living witness of how Mercury would take long-distance calls just to hear a few meows from his pet cats.“He’d get to a hotel, we’d dial through, and he really would talk to his cats,” says Peter Freestone in his memoir, Freddie Mercury.“Mary would hold Tom and Jerry in turn up to the receiver to listen to Freddie talking. This continued throughout the years with succeeding feline occupants of his houses,” he added.Over the years of his life, he was able to foster 10 cats who were Tom, Jerry, Tiffany, Dorothy, Delilah, Goliath, Lily, Oscar, Miko, and Romeo with the last six that have outlived their owner. From a scene in “Bohemian Rhapsody”, Mercury exclaims that each of his cats has its own bedroom in his home.Trivia: Goliath, his black cat has a habit of disappearing. One time, Goliath was gone for a long time than the usual, Freddie became frantic. Once found, he showered the feline with cuddles and affection. And after a few minutes, like a mother, Freddie scolded the cat with words as to why little Goliath left Garden Lodge. Goliath merely reacted to Freddie’s outburst with a blank

Shining stars of the film are the various cats who appear as Freddie’s beloved pets. The portrayal of Freddie’s love for his animals rings true — he would often ask to speak to his cats on the phone while he was away touring, and he did have different rooms in his Garden Lodge home for each of his cats.Wrong: Jim Hutton never worked as a servant for FreddieThe film introduces the audience to Jim Hutton when, after a particularly long party, Freddie makes a drunken pass at him. After a conversation about the singer being “lost,” the two part ways only for Freddie to look him up and find him at home years later. But Jim Hutton never worked as a waiter or server for Freddie — he was a hairdresser at the Savoy Hotel, and the two met at a club near the singer’s home in 1983.Right: Freddie did credit his teeth for his singing voiceUpon meeting Brian May and Roger Taylor in the film, Freddie remarks that while his teeth may look funny, it’s because he has four extra incisors that he has such dramatic vocal range. This is something that the singer truly believed — while he was insecure about his teeth for much of his life, he always denied those who said he could have them fixed, saying he was concerned surgery or too much dentistry could affect his singing voice.Wrong: Neither Freddie nor Queen knew about his AIDS diagnosis before Live Aid Fans and critics were concerned that Bohemian Rhapsody would fail to mention Mercury’s AIDS diagnosis, yet the film did — though not very accurately. In the film, Freddie informs his bandmates of his diagnosis during a rehearsal one week before their famous Live Aid performance in 1985. But by almost all accounts, including one from Jim Hutton himself, Freddie didn’t even know he had the disease until April 1987.Right: Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin really were as close as the movie showsThroughout the film, after the fallout of their relationship, Freddie and Mary Austin maintain a friendship that lasted for the rest of the singer’s life, with Austin comforting him and telling him how she feels about what he’s doing on a regular basis. This is true to life, and may even be an understatement of how close the two truly were — at the end of his life, Mercury even went as

The art of creating a biopic about a now-famous figure is a difficult act that must manage to balance entertainment value with historical accuracy. That balancing act was doubly difficult for the new… Linked Gallery > Featured Image --> The art of creating a biopic about a now-famous figure is a difficult act that must manage to balance entertainment value with historical accuracy. That balancing act was doubly difficult for the new film depicting the life and times of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Even after scoring the No. 1 box-office spot, $50 million in ticket sales and an A CinemaScore from audiences everywhere, Bohemian Rhapsody was still faced with many mixed reviews from critics. While most argued that the plotting and pacing of the film were messy, some also cited a number of historical inaccuracies that made the film fall flat. The film did take some liberties with the story of Mr. Fahrenheit, but it also managed to reveal a great deal of truths about the career and personal life of one of the world’s greatest rock stars. Here are just a few things that Bohemian Rhapsody got right and wrong about Freddie Mercury:RIght: Freddie Mercury was very inspired by actress Marlene DietrichIn the film, a quick moment shows Freddie standing in his brand-new home at Garden Lodge with a large, iconic photo of German actress Marlene Dietrich behind him. In reality, Mercury expressed his true admiration for the artist, and she is widely cited as the main inspiration behind the now-iconic cover art of Queen’s second album, Queen II.Wrong: It took much longer in real life for Freddie to join QueenOne of the more stunning ways the movie mishandles a truth about the group is when it shows how Freddie came to be Queen’s new frontman. The scene sees a young Freddie approaching Brian May and Roger Taylor after the show where their frontman and bassist Tim Staffell had just quit, singing a few bars of their song “Doin’ Alright” and joining the band after. In reality, Freddie had been good friends with Staffell, met and got to know Brian and Roger through Staffell, and even lived with the two before Staffell quit and he joined in. Right: Freddie really did own at least 10 cats throughout his lifeOutside of Rami Malek’s portrayal of Freddie Mercury, some of the brightest

Stare.Tiffany, who was also given by Austin, was the only thoroughbred cat which appears like a blue point Himalayan or a Ragdoll or a longhaired Persian. The other nine were adopted from shelters or animal hospitals, and some were given by his partners. It was mentioned that Mercury found joy in rescuing cats from the Blue Cross shelter where he got Lily, Miko, Romeo, and Goliath.Mr. Bad GuyClick the play button to listen to the song:Mr Bad Guy is a solo album in 1985, which he dedicated to his cats: “This album is dedicated to my cat Jerry – also Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany and all the cat lovers across the universe – screw everybody else!”DelilahYou make me smile when I’m just about to cry You bring me hope, you make me laugh – and I like it You get away with murder so innocent But when you throw a moody you’re all claws and you bite That’s alright!Many people mistakenly thought that the song Delilah was dedicated to a woman but it was soon debunked by the lyrics, “peeing all over Chippendale Suite”Delilah was her adopted tri-coloured tabby cat in 1987. Many believed she was his favourite, and Delilah was more than happy to reciprocate his feelings.“Mercury spent hours with watercolours trying to paint a portrait of the tortoiseshell Delilah – and when he was dying in 1991, one of his final actions was stroking her fur,” taken from Rolling Stone (2014).Freddie Mercury’s cat waistcoatApart from the song ‘Delilah’ he has another tribute for his cats prepared on his last album Innuendo. In the music video of one of the Innuendo tracks “These Are the Days of Our Lives,” Mercury especially stands out with his waistcoat. Mercury had worn a bespoke vest adorned with hand-painted images of his cats.“I won’t be a rock star. I will be a legend.” Indeed, Freddie Mercury became one but a living legend with cats. From his song lyrics and statements from his friends, it is evident that cats had a great influence in his life, in joys and in sorrows. Keep in mind,

Catster is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. I went to see Bohemian Rhapsody on opening day in November, and have seen it a few more times since then. I loved everything about the movie: the wonderful portrayal of Freddie Mercury, the perfect casting and phenomenal acting, and of course, the music. The movie had me spellbound and that’s something that rarely happens for me. And then there were the cats!It’s well known that Freddie Mercury adored his cats, and I was delighted that the biopic incorporated that part of his life. And I wanted to know more about the adorable cats in the movie. Yesterday, I had a chance to talk to Film and TV Animal Trainer Charlotte Wilde, who provided the cats for the movie.Meet Charlotte Wilde, Film and TV Animal TrainerCharlotte owns a London-based animal agency that supplies professionally trained animals to top photographers and TV and film production companies. She got into the business in 1984, when her family’s horses were stabled at the property of a woman who owned an animal agency. Charlotte went to help out on school holidays, and even though there wasn’t enough work to make it a full-time career at the time, she kept working with them. “Back then, it was very much wrangling,” said Charlotte. “I guess I learned how to not do it back then,” she said.In 1994, she started working with animals full-time, using reward-based training. “I’m passionate about welfare and training. It became second nature to me to make sure the animals were safe and happy.” The cats are closely monitored while working. “We take pride in our cats,” said Charlotte.Meet the Cats of Bohemian RhapsodyAlmost all of the cats in the movie are Charlotte’s own cats.Sidney and Chester, a brown tabby and a ginger and white cat, came to her when she was looking for a tabby kitten for another film. When she found them, Charlotte didn’t want to separate the brother and sister and adopted them both. “They’ve both been amazing,” she said. “I trained them from the time they were 12 weeks old.” Chester has had a few health issues, including a blocked bladder at one point, but he’s healthy now.1. ChesterImage Credit: ©Charlotte Wilde, used with permission“Every time I picked him up then, it was to give

Of the house and the money as overwhelming. “I found myself thinking, ‘Oh Freddie, you’ve left me too much and too much to deal with as well.’ I felt I couldn’t live up to it,” she recounted. Despite the difficulties, Austin lived in Mercury’s mansion for over 30 years until she put the house on the market in February 2024. What did Mary Austin do with Freddie Mercury’s home and possessions? Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin at the Ivor Novello Music Awards on April 15, 1987 in London, England. Steve Wood/Mirrorpix via Getty After Mercury’s death, Austin continued living in their shared Kensington mansion, surrounded by different mementos that reminded her of the late singer. In February 2024, Austin decided to list the property for sale, asking for offers “in excess of” 30 million pounds (approximately $38 million). In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Austin described the home as “the most glorious memory box” filled with “love and warmth in every room” — as the home remained mostly exactly how Mercury left it. “It has been a joy to live in and I have many wonderful memories here,” she said. “Ever since Freddie and I stepped through the fabled green door, it has been a place of peace, a true artist’s house, and now is the time to entrust that sense of peace to the next person.” The house is not publicly listed, and it’s unclear whether it has sold since it was put on the market. Austin also listed the majority of Mercury’s possessions — aside from a few “personal gifts” and photos of the two together — for auction in 2023. The Sotheby’s auction included 1,400 of the singer’s possessions, including a Yahama grand piano and a silver Tiffany & Co. mustache comb, which went for $189,000. The items were first held in a month-long exhibition titled “Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own,” before being sold over six days of auctioning. In a Sotheby’s release, Austin spoke about her decision to sell Mercury’s items. “I hope this will be an opportunity to share all the many facets of Freddie, both public and private, and for the world to understand more about, and celebrate, his unique and beautiful spirit," she explained in part. Where is Mary Austin now? Mary Austin attends the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Charity Dinner at The Grosvenor House Hotel on November 5, 2002 in London.Dave Benett/Getty Over the years, Austin has maintained a private life. She has two adult sons who also keep their lives out of the public eye. Austin welcomed them with ex-husband painter Piers Cameron in the early 1990s. She was later briefly married to businessman Nick Holford, which ended in