Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara, has left an indelible mark on the music world, despite passing away over 30 years ago. His extraordinary voice continues to resonate, reminding us of the brilliance of his life, which he lived to the fullest despite facing significant challenges.
As he lay dying in his cherished home, his thoughts were focused on one person: Mary Austin. She was not only the love of his life but also the only person who knew where his ashes were to be scattered after his death.
Many artists have briefly captured the spotlight, but few reach the iconic status of Mercury, whose influence endures. Alongside the band Queen, he created timeless hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Are the Champions”. To this day, Queen’s “Greatest Hits” remains the best-selling album in the UK.
Freddie’s journey to stardom was fraught with hardships. Born on September 5, 1946, in Zanzibar, his family fled to England when he was young, seeking a better life. It was here that he adopted the name Freddie, and his passion for music began to flourish, despite his parents’ initial disapproval.
Freddie’s talent shone brightly, particularly as he collaborated with future bandmates, ultimately establishing Queen. Their success was meteoric, with Mercury’s voice only becoming stronger over time. Hits like “We Will Rock You” and “Don’t Stop Me Now” showcased his extraordinary talent.
In his personal life, Mercury’s bond with Mary Austin was profound. Though they were engaged and later separated, their friendship endured, and she remained by his side through his struggles with AIDS, which he was diagnosed with in 1987. As he bravely fought the disease, Mercury chose to reveal his illness to the world shortly before his death in 1991, expressing the desire to do so on his own terms.
In his final days, Mercury entrusted Austin with the knowledge of where his ashes would be scattered, as he sought privacy in death. He left behind a significant portion of his estate to her, highlighting their enduring connection. After his passing, it was confirmed that Mary carried out his wishes, scattering his ashes in a secret location, as he had requested.
Freddie Mercury’s legacy continues to shine brightly, and his wish for eternal rest in solitude has been honored by the one person who knew him best. We remember him fondly, knowing that his spirit lives on in the music that inspires generations.
Gracefully aging, Helen Hunt is as beautiful today as she was five decades ago
In the 1990’s, Hunt was a household name with her breakout TV performance in the hit comedy series Mad About You, where she starred opposite Paul Reiser, who later starred in the Netflix series, Stranger Things.
She won four back-to-back Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes for her comedic portrayal of one half of a newlywed couple. She also directed some episodes, including the series finale in 1999.
Speaking with People, Hunt shared about her daughter and Reiser, “… My daughter loves Stranger Things so now when he calls she’s excited. She’s never seen an episode of Mad About You but she’s super psyched about Stranger Things!” Hunt has one daughter, born in 2004, with Matthew Carnahan, her partner of 16 years.
Hunt is also known for playing a storm chaser in the adrenaline-fueled movie Twister (1996), her Academy Award-winning role in 1997’s As Good as it Gets, starring next to Hollywood royalty, Jack Nicholson, and 2000’s Cast Away and What Women Want.
More recently, she plays a journalist in BBC’s World on Fire and has a recurring character on Blindspotting. She’s also loaned her skills as a director to shows like Californication, House of Lies and This is Us.
In 2021, she revealed she was working on a Twister reboot with a diverse cast of storm chasers “from HBCU [historically Black college and university],” but the story was rejected.
“I tried to get it made,” Hunt said in 2021. “I was going to direct it… We could barely get a meeting, and this is in June of 2020 when it was all about diversity. It would have been so cool.”
Universal Pictures is releasing Twisters, without Hunt, in July 2024.
Over the years, Hunt, who’s collected numerous awards and nominations, has been a staple in Hollywood culture with her timeless performances and beauty.
As one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood–a face that through the years has matured, she’s recently been the topic of many conversations.
With a career spanning more than four decades, it’s common, and expected, that there would be natural physical changes but, as a celebrity, Hunt is not immune from unfiltered opinions coming from the public.
Speculation that she had plastic surgery started after an accident in 2019, where the SUV she was a passenger, was t-boned by another car, causing it to rollover. She was briefly hospitalized but fully recovered, and within one week, she was back to work filming the limited series reboot of Mad About You.
Speaking with People about reprising her role, Hunt said, “It was a very loving piece of work. We loved it. It would be fun to work on something that’s really about love. We’ll be older though — I hope people are prepared for that. I’m not prepared for it!”
Shortly after, Radar Online, posted an article suggesting the star too much plastic surgery. In the story, she’s referred to as “ageless,” followed by “mannequin-like” and “…her expression more static than usual.”
Fans however were quick to defend her. One wrote, “I’m not an expert on spotting facelifts and that but to me Helen Hunt today still looks like Helen Hunt from Mad About You, just older. Which is what happens when 3 decades pass, people get older.” Another wrote, “I think we are so used to seeing women who have puffed up their lips and lifted both eyes and forehead, that a woman who is aging normally looks odd to us.”
Tight-lipped about the rumours that she’s had a nip and tuck to smooth the wrinkles on her face, it’s possible that Hunt benefits from a makeup artist, who can achieve the same results with some magical strokes of their brush.
In fact, there are many Hollywood beauty secrets that keep celebrities looking ageless. Pairing a healthy diet and exercise with pricey non-surgical spa treatments have proven results!
Hunt is very active and isn’t shy about showing off her fit physique. In an interview, she explained “As a general rule, I tend to move. I don’t go to a gym ever. I don’t diet ever. I used to diet, but sometime after the eighties, it made me miserable, but I do like to walk, run, and I do like to surf when I can just to warm it up, and I do enjoy doing yoga when I can get there.”
As we all know, being a woman in Hollywood can be quite a challenge.
In a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hunt discussed how she has experienced being objectified throughout her career and how she hopes to help create a more inclusive.
“What are the great movies for younger women where they’re the protagonist [being] made now? You know what I mean? The whole thing — there’s no equal rights amendment. We’re fucked,” Hunt told Huffington Post in 2015.
Over the years, Hunt has been involved in various advocacy and philanthropic efforts to support women’s rights and empowerment – speaking up against objectification of women.
”I certainly drive around and I’m tired of the billboard where she’s barely in her underwear and they’re selling, you know, a watch or something,” Hunt said.
”I’m over it, to be honest.”
Facing judgements from the public can’t be easy, especially for celebrities who are out there doing their jobs, which is entertaining us.
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