Katy Perry says she's had no formal offer to star in a Queen film as Freddie Mercury's girlfriend. Photo / AP
Katy Perry has addressed rumours that she is in talks to play legendary Queen front man Freddie Mercury's girlfriend in a new biopic.
The net was abuzz with speculation earlier this month that the Firework songbird is "in the running" for the part of Mary Austin, who had a relationship with the singer in the early 1970s.
The film - which will see Sacha Baron Cohen star as Mercury - will focus on Queen's formative years, leading up to their historic performance at the Live Aid charity concert in 1985.
One of Perry's 'pals' told British tabloid The Mirror: "Katy would love to be in the film as she is such a huge fan. She would want to play Mary Austin ideally. Katy has a similar look to Mary and would be a brilliant foil to Sacha."
Filming of the movie, which has the co-operation of Mercury's estate and the surviving members of Queen, is expected to start next year.
But Perry has since played down reports she's attached to the project.
"There's something about the internet that's sort of funny - it's that nothing is true on there," the singer dished to E! News.
"There's been no formal offer. Although I do like the association and I like the company because I think Sacha Baron Cohen is hilarious."
She added: "I have to take a catnap first before I do anything."
Perry, currently treading the promotional treadmill with new concert doco, Katy Perry: Part of Me, is reported to be planning an "extended break" from her career.
"I think I'm going to go into a cave after this. It might be appropriate," she told the Los Angeles Times at the movie's premiere in Hollywood earlier this week.
She said she was heading to "a beautiful, unplugged place where there's not a lot going on, so I can get back and hopefully write some good songs. Take these damn extensions out of my hair and feel my head again, finally."
Perry, who split with comedian Russell Brand last year, told MTV News: "I'm going into hiding. I want to go and write songs in the woods or something. I'm gonna go away. I'm sure you know it's time for me to go the f*** away."
The singer recently discussed her decision not to shy away from her divorce in the doco with TV host Jay Leno.
Brand announced he was filing for divorce from the singer after 14 months of marriage last December.
"It wasn't always exciting to watch those unflattering scenes where I'm crying and having an intense moment," she told the host.
"But I think that people will relate to the movie even more seeing me at my lowest point and now at my highest point.
"I think that if you went to see the movie and it was completely avoided you come out of that theatre going, 'Hmmm ... That's strange, I know something else did happen at that time in her life last year.'"
She continued: "I wanted to handle it very delicately with the most integrity I could possibly have and show people that like 'Look yeah I'm going through some of the same situations that half of America goes through', and somehow I landed on my feet and you don't have to lay down and die even if you feel like you're going to."
Watch a clip from her interview below:
Perry may be willing to dish on her split, but as Graham Norton learned the hard way, Brand's not so loose-lipped on the subject.
The Rock Of Ages star chastised the TV host for bringing up his high-profile divorce during a taping of his show earlier this month.
"My mum is here. She got upset when you dragged up my marriage," Brand snapped at Norton.
"I saw her cry. That's the reality because it's real people Graham, that's my real mum. I have come here to promote a film and you made my mum cry. I don't see you as that sort of person Graham."
"I don't see myself as that kind of person," said Norton.
Replied Brand: "And yet you are."
The awkward exchange was cut from the show before it aired.
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