Freddie Mercury, whose birth name was Farrokh Bulsara, (1946-1991) was a hugely successful singer-songwriter and lead singer of the rock band, Queen, and sadly passed away at the young age of 45. His hypnotic presence was once again felt by the world in the 2018 biographical musical drama Bohemian Rhapsody, where Rami Malek did a superb job bringing Freddie's spirit back to life, introducing him to the younger generations.
Regarding his height, similar to John Lennon, he often appeared average to above average, however, he held a very slim frame, so did this help him look taller than he really was, or was he really over average height?
So let's investigate his height by finding out his height claims, what others say and comparing him to other celebs, to get to the bottom of how tall he really was!
How Tall Was he Really?
Freddie Mercury was an average height man, who stood neither short nor tall. He woke up around 5'9.25"-5'9.5", and held a solid 5'9" throughout the majority of the day. Therefore on this page, I will list his height as 5'9" (175.3 cm).
Height Claim
Freddie listed his height as 5'9.75', and weight as 9 stone. (1)
This is a very specific number to write down, so could Freddie have been accurately measured as 5'9.75"? I guess we will never know!
What Others Say
During Queen's heyday, Freddie's height and weight was described as:
- 5'9.75"-Precisely! Also, about 130 pounds (2)
- "Hunk of the month", at 5'10". (3)
- 5'9" and 8.5 stone (4)
These heights are all within the average range for an American man. Yet, he has also been described as both on the taller or shorter side.
For instance, in the book A kind of magic (1991), Freddie is described as:
"A TALL, HANDSOME YOUNG MAN" (5)
Conversely, in relation to Freddie meeting Brazilian football star Maradona, the book Freddie Mercury New Ed edition (1997), mentions things they had in common as:
"a cast-iron crotch, limited height and a hunger for success." (6)
Regarding the differing opinions over his height, it comes as no surprise, as a man of average height (5'9"-5'10") such as Freddie could easily be seen as either tall or short depending on the perspective of the viewer.
Height Compared With Other Celebs
Michael Jackson 5'9" (175.3 cm)
When the two friends and legendary singers (recording 3 songs together) were pictured next to each other, they appear very close in height, but sometimes Freddie appears slightly taller than Michael.
For instance, in black and white photos of them together from the early 80s, Freddie appears 0.25" taller. Yet, the difference is minimal, and standing straight they could very well measure within millimeters of each other.
Therefore, with Michael Jackson, Freddie appears between 5'9"-5'9.25" tall.
David Bowie 5'10 (177.8 cm)
Once recording the successful song Under Pressure (1981) together, when the good friends were pictured standing next to each other, David is clearly the taller man.
For instance, backstage at Live Aid (1985), when the pair were pictured talking, and wearing footwear providing a similar height increase, David looked to be a solid inch taller than Freddie.
Therefore, with David Bower, Freddie appears to be 5'9" tall.
Elton John 5'7.5 (171.5 cm)
Freddie and Elton were close friends throughout the late 70s and the 80s, and when pictured together Freddie is the taller of the pair.
To give an example, when pictured together through events and parties from 1977-1985 there is a clear 1.25 inch difference, such as in a video clip from a party in 1981, where Freddie appears over an inch taller.
Therefore, when next to Elton John, Freddie appears to be 5'8.75".
The Results - when pictured standing next to other singers throughout the 80s, Freddie appears to be between 5'8.75"-5'9.25" tall.
Who Was The Tallest Member of Queen?
Where did Freddie's height rank amongst his 4 bandmates?
Brian May 6'1.5" (186.7 cm) Guitarist
Roger Taylor 5'9.25" (175.9 cm) Drummer
John Deacon 5'9" (175.3 cm) Bass Guitar
Freddie Mercury 5'9" (175.3 cm) Lead Singer
He was joint shortest, but still average in height!
Rami Malek Height in The Movie Queen (2018)
Rami Malek, who acted the part of Eddie in the movie Queen, stands at 5'7" (170.2 cm). Even though this is around 2 inches shorter than Freddie, with camera angles, hidden height raises in shoes, and a shorter cast, this is easy to negate.
While in some scenes he appeared on the shorter side, in general, he managed to give off the impression of a 5'9"-5'10" man, the same as Freddie did!
However, during some scenes platform shoes may have been involved:
"Rami Malek underwent a reported 50 hours of costume fittings with designer Julian Day that involved everything from 4-inch platform sole shoes" (7)
The Bottom Line
After investigating Freddie Mercury's height claim, what others listed his height as, and comparing his height to other celebs, I conclude that Freddie Mercury was an average height man, holding a height of 5'9" (175.3 cm) throughout the majority of the day.
Heights Related to Freddie Mercury
- Jim Hutton, Partner (1985–1991), 5'8" (172.8 cm)
- Mary Austin, Partner (1970–1976), 5'7" (170.2 cm)
- Kashmira Bulsara, Sister, 5'5.5" (166.4 cm)
- Peter Straker, Closest Friend, 5'9" (175.3 cm)
- Paul Prenter, Manager: Queen 1977-1986, 5'8" (172.8 cm)
References
Sourced from www.quora.com, referencing:
1: MUSIC LIFE magazine
2: Queen’s Freddie Mercury Top-To-Toe! – 30 Facts Article from ’16’ magazine (1982),
3: FREDDIE MERCURY – HUNK OF THE MONTH – 16 MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 1977
4: Tumblr.com referencing Queen’s interview to a magazine in the 70s.
Sourced from archive.org referencing the books:
5: A kind of magic, a tribute to Freddie Mercury (1991) by Ross Clarke
6: Freddie Mercury New Ed edition (1997) by Lesley-Ann Jones
