Los Angeles, Oct 28 (IANS): Actor Rami Malek felt 'terrified' playing the role of late singer Freddie Mercury in the biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody".

The 37-year-old Malek has admitted initially that he was feeling anxious about the challenge of playing Mercury, reports dailymail.co.uk.

He confessed: "Every part of me was terrified. But then, what are you going to do? It's an opportunity of a lifetime. I couldn't pass it up."

Despite the pressure, Malek was determined to ensure that his on-screen performance was as natural as possible.

In fact, the actor made a conscious decision not to imitate the Queen star, who died in 1991 from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.

"I was very cognizant of not wanting to imitate him or impersonate him at all.

"I started to think about how everything he did was spontaneous, in the moment. He is someone who lived every moment as if it was his last, I feel," he added.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is slated to release on November 2.