Queenfans no doubt rocked out during the91st Academy Awardswhen the band took the stage withAdam Lambertto honor Best Picture nomineeBohemian Rhapsody.
Its starRami Malekis considered a front-runner for the Best Actor trophy for his portrayal of late singerFreddie Mercury.
Queen and Lambert opened with “We Will Rock You” as the crowd flew to their feet, with stars likeGlenn Close,Javier BardemandLady Gagaspotted clapping and singing along in the audience.
They transitioned into “We Are the Champions,” capping off the electric performance with a standing ovation from the audience.
Be sure to check outPEOPLE’s full Oscars coverageto get the latest news on film’s biggest night.
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The Academy quoted the classic song (and the film’s title) when announcing Queen would be performing weeks beforethe Oscars: “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? We welcome @QueenWillRock and @adamlambert to this year’s #Oscars!”
The formerAmerican Idolrunner-up has collaborated with Queen as lead vocalist for Queen + Adam Lambert since 2011, culminating in a successful world tour from 2014 to 2018.
In September, Lambert admitted to PEOPLE thathe was “really nervous” about filling in for Mercuryafter the band hired him.
“Not only did I have to make sure my voice held up and I know all the words… but it was also the perception of fans; I definitely had some concerns,” he said. “This is not my music that I wrote: This is me, as a guest, with one of the greatest rock bands of all time, singing the songs that one of the greatest rock singers of all time brought to life.”
Lambert added, “Freddie is irreplaceable.”
“There’s no way to compare to him. It was always my hope that audiences would understand that I’m up there just excited to sing great music that everyone knows,” he said.
Lambertalso had a cameo role inBohemian Rhapsody, which centers around Mercury’s rise to fame with fellow Queen band members Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, as well as his death from complications of AIDS in 1991.
Bohemian Rhapsodyhas received plenty of buzz in the last few months, andMalek, 37, won the Golden Globe Awardfor best actor in a drama motion picture as well as the SAG Award for best actor. The film alsowon the Golden Globe for best drama motion picture, beating outBradley Cooper‘sA Star Is Born.
source: people.com
