Actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has been described by Queen guitarist Brian May as an “a*se” after they fell out over an upcoming biopic.

Cohen, known for creating the characters Borat, Bruno and Ali G, was in talks to play Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury in the film, but dropped out after he and the band suffered creative differences.

“My first meeting, I should never have carried on, because a member of the band — I won’t say who — said ‘this is such a great movie, because it’s got such an amazing thing that happens in the middle of the movie. Freddie dies’,” Cohen told News.com.au.

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Brian May would like to see British actor Ben Whishaw in the role. Photo: Getty/Supplied

“I said, ‘So wait a minute, what happens in the second half of the movie?’

He said, ‘We see how the band carries on from strength to strength’.

“It’s a less interesting movie, but I understand it. They are a band, and they wanted to protect their legacy as Queen,” Cohen said.

But the band’s guitarist claimed Cohen’s comments misrepresented what went on behind closed doors, and blasted him as an “a*se”.

“We had some nice times with Sacha kicking around ideas but he went off and told untruths about what happened. Why would he go away and say that we didn’t want to make a gritty film?” he told The Daily Mail.

May then took another swipe at the British actor, implying his recent films (such as The Grimsby) would prevent audiences from taking him seriously as the late Freddie Mercury.

“We decided he wasn’t right for the role for very good reasons, which will become apparent if you watch what he’s done recently,” May said.

The stoush is unfortunate when you consider the physical likeness between Mercury and Cohen, but May said he now hoped Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, The Lobster and The Danish Girl) will serve as a replacement.