Born to Egyptian parents in Los Angeles, the “Bohemian Rhapsody” star made history at the 2019 Oscars for being the first best actor of Arab heritage to win the best actor Oscar.
Remarkably, it’s a role Rami Malek almost never played: Ali G and “Borat” star Sacha Baron Cohen was originally slated to play the part, but there were disagreements with Queen band members who were producing the project. Queen guitarist Brian May named actor Ben Whishaw as his preferred choice, but in the end, Malek was asked to play the role of Freddie Mercury.
Born in Los Angeles in 1981 to a family of Egyptian immigrants from Cairo, Malek spoke Arabic in his childhood and was raised in the Coptic Orthodox faith. While pursuing his acting career, Malek found his Middle Eastern background a help as well as a hindrance when it came to starting out as an actor. Many may remember him from his early roles as pharaoh in all three “Night at the Museum” films, an Egyptian vampire in “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2,” and as a terrorist in “24.”
However, it was this last role, which aired in 2010 that prompted him to reject typecasting roles as a terrorist.
For the role of Freddie Mercury, Malek, a self-confessed non-singer, non-musician and non-dancer, says he worked intensively with movement and voice coaches to truly nail the part.
His hard work truly paid off because Malek was clear favorite to win the best actor Oscar.
By: Maytinee Kramer
