Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen has reportedly emerged as the frontrunner to portray tragic Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in a biopic produced by Robert De Niro. The funnyman has beaten his Sweeney Todd co-star Johnny Depp for the lead role after impressing the film's producers, reports British newspaper The Sun. An insider says, "Filmmakers are working flat out to get the best possible script. Sacha loves the idea he can get away with playing Freddie after modelling Borat's look on him." Mercury died from an AIDS-related illness in 1991. He was 45.