Bohemian Rhapsody replacement director Dexter Fletcher has said that while the sexual assault allegations against Bryan Singer overshadow the movie at times, they do not define it.
Much of the Queen biopic was directed by Singer, but Fletcher stepped in when he left the production before it was completed.
Singer has been in the news recently after a report in the US alleged he had sexually assaulted four men while they were under-age, but this was not cited as the reason for him leaving the film.
Speaking at the Baftas, Fletcher said the allegations – which Singer has denied – had in some ways overshadowed the film.
#EEBAFTAs Leading Actor nominee & star of @BoRhapMovie @ItsRamiMalek describes Freddie Mercury as 'the gift that keeps on giving' 🎶 pic.twitter.com/KomPF4fqje
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) February 10, 2019
He said: “I sort of see it from the sidelines and I think that is a shame, and it’s unfortunate, and it’s one of those things the film has to navigate through and weather, but I think what is more important is the audience love this film and they go and see it, and that seems to be all these things that go around it and whatever.
“At the end of the day people vote with their tickets and that’s what’s important.
“And I think Rami (Rami Malek, who stars as Freddie Mercury) is big enough and smart enough to realise that, and that’s an issue that’s so external from the whole and it’s unfortunate, and of course it overshadows it at times, but it doesn’t define it. It doesn’t define what the film is.
“Rami’s performance does and Queen’s music does, you know so many bigger, more positive things that define that film. that it’s sad though, yes.”