Blake Lively is reportedly lined up for the upcoming Freddie Mercury biopic.

The Gossip Girl actress is to play the role of the Queen icon's former girlfriend Mary Austin, Digital Spy said citing The Sun.

Sacha Baron Cohen will portray Mercury in the film about the rock star's life and career, while Tom Hooper is rumoured to be helming the project.

Freddie Mercury had a long-term relationship with Mary Austin in the early 1970s after being introduced by Queen's Brian May.

The couple lived together for several years until Mercury had an affair with a male American record executive at Elektra Records.

However, the pair remained very close friends until the singer's death in 1991.

Mercury said of Austin in 1985: "All my lovers asked me why they couldn't replace Mary [Austin], but it's simply impossible.

"The only friend I've got is Mary and I don't want anybody else. To me, she was my common-law wife. To me, it was a marriage. We believe in each other, that's enough for me."

Sacha Baron Cohen is said to be taking singing lessons in order to perform as Freddie Mercury in the currently-untitled film.