Rami Malek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rami Malek
رامي مالك
Malek in 2015
Born	Rami Said Malek (1981-05-12) May 12, 1981 (age 44) Torrance, California, U.S.
Education	University of Evansville (BFA)
Occupation	Actor producer
Years active	2004–present
Awards	Full list

Rami Said Malek (born May 12, 1981) is an American actor. He is famous for playing Elliot Alderson, a computer hacker, in the TV show Mr. Robot (2015–2019). For this role, he won an Emmy Award.

He also played Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody (2018). This role earned him many honors, including the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was the first actor of Egyptian background to win in that category.

Rami Malek was born in Torrance, California. His parents were immigrants from Egypt. He studied theater and acted in plays in New York City. He had smaller roles in movies and TV shows. These included the sitcom The War at Home (2005–2007). He also appeared in the miniseries The Pacific (2010). He was also in the Night at the Museum movie series (2006–2014).

Since becoming well-known, Malek has starred in several films. These include the crime movie The Little Things (2021). He played the main bad guy, Lyutsifer Safin, in the James Bond film No Time to Die (2021). He was also in Christopher Nolan's movie Oppenheimer (2023). In this film, he played David Hill. He also starred as a CIA code-breaker in the spy film The Amateur (2025).

Early Life and Education

Rami Said Malek was born in Torrance, California, on May 12, 1981. His parents, Nelly Abdel-Malek and Said Malek, came from Egypt. They moved from Cairo in 1978. His father was a travel agent. They settled in Sherman Oaks, California.

As a child, Malek did not often visit Hollywood. He thought it was very far away, even though it was only a 10-minute drive. His father sold insurance and was a travel agent. His mother worked as an accountant. Malek was raised in the Coptic Orthodox Christian faith. He spoke Egyptian Arabic at home until he was four years old.

He has an identical twin brother named Sami. Sami is four minutes younger than Rami. His older sister, Jasmine, is an ER doctor. His parents taught their children to remember their Egyptian roots. His father would sometimes wake him up to talk to family in Samalut, Egypt.

As a first-generation American, Malek found it hard to fit in. This was because of cultural differences. People often mispronounced his name. He said it was hard to feel like himself as a child. He enjoyed "creating characters and doing voices" as a way to express himself.

Malek went to Notre Dame High School. Actress Rachel Bilson was in his class. Actress Kirsten Dunst also went to the school. She was in a musical theater class with him.

His parents hoped he would become a lawyer. So, he joined the debate team in his first year. He found it hard to argue cases. But his debate teacher saw his talent in acting. The teacher encouraged him to perform a play called Zooman and The Sign. Rami felt a special connection to acting during this performance. His parents liked his acting, which made him feel free to pursue it. Both he and his brother were active in the school's drama club.

After high school, Malek studied theater at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. He also studied for a semester in England. He went to Harlaxton College. Before his last year, he worked at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. He met playwright August Wilson there.

He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in 2003. The university later gave him an award in 2017. This award was for young alumni who have achieved success.

Career Highlights

Early Acting Roles (2004–2009)

Malek in 2007

After college, Malek wanted to go to grad school for theater. But he had college debt. So, he moved to New York City. He shared an apartment with friends who were also interested in theater. They formed the Slant Theatre Project. They performed their own plays around the city.

While visiting his family in Los Angeles, Malek met a casting director. She told him to stay in Hollywood and look for work. He moved back in with his parents. He worked delivering pizzas and making food at a restaurant. He sent his resume to many places. But it was hard to get acting jobs. This made him feel sad and lose confidence. He even thought about becoming a real estate agent.

After a year and a half, he finally got a call. It was from casting director Mara Casey. She asked to speak to his agent. He told her he did not have one. But he suggested they meet anyway, and she agreed. This meeting led to his first TV role. It was in the show Gilmore Girls in January 2004.

That same year, he acted in a play called Johnny Boy. He also voiced characters for the video game Halo 2. In 2005, he got his Screen Actors Guild card. This was for his work in the TV show Over There. Later that year, he appeared in Medium. He also got a regular role as Kenny in the Fox comedy The War at Home. His character's story about "coming out" was praised.

In 2006, Malek made his first movie appearance. He played Pharaoh Ahkmenrah in Night at the Museum. He played this role again in the sequels. These were Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

Supporting Roles (2010–2015)

Malek at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con

In 2010, Malek returned to TV. He had a recurring role as Marcos Al-Zacar on 24. He grew tired of playing characters he called "acceptable terrorists." He told his agent to turn down any roles that showed Arabs or Middle Easterners in a bad way.

Later that year, he was praised for his role as Corporal Merrill "Snafu" Shelton. This was in the Emmy Award-winning HBO miniseries The Pacific. After filming The Pacific, he took a break from Hollywood. He lived briefly in Argentina.

During the filming of The Pacific, executive producer Tom Hanks sent Malek a letter. Hanks praised Malek's acting. Hanks then cast him in the movie Larry Crowne (2011). Malek played college student Steve Dibiasi.

These chances led Malek to get supporting roles in big movies. In 2010, he was cast as Benjamin, an "Egyptian coven" vampire. This was for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. In 2013, he played Nate in the movie Short Term 12. He also appeared in two Spike Lee films. These were Oldboy (2012) and Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. He also had small roles in Battleship and The Master.

He appeared as Josh, a main character in Until Dawn. This was a horror game for the PlayStation 4, released in 2015. He provided his voice and appearance for the character.

Breakthrough and Acclaim (2015–Present)

Malek and Christian Slater (left) speaking as part of the Mr. Robot panel during the 2015 PaleyFest

Screenwriter Sam Esmail looked at over 100 actors for the main role in his new show. He needed someone to play Elliot Alderson, a computer hacker with mental health issues. After seeing Malek's audition in 2014, Esmail knew he had found his Elliot.

The show, a psychological thriller called Mr. Robot, started on June 24, 2015. Malek played the main character. To play Elliot accurately, he met with a psychologist. Critics immediately praised his performance. USA Today called it his "breakout performance." Entertainment Weekly said Malek's "magnetic performance" was the "best reason" to watch the show.

His acting earned him many nominations. He won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He was the first non-white actor to win an Emmy in that category since 1998. The show ended in December 2019. Malek received another Golden Globe nomination for the final season.

Malek had his first starring movie role in Buster's Mal Heart. It premiered in September 2016. In this film, Malek plays a man living two lives. The director, Sarah Adina Smith, cast him before his big success with Mr. Robot. She said she "had no idea how huge and adored he would become."

Malek then starred as Louis Dega in Papillon. This was a remake of a 1973 film. He co-starred with Charlie Hunnam. It was shown at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. In 2017, Malek joined the cast of the Netflix animated show BoJack Horseman. He voiced Flip McVicker, a writer.

Joe Mazzello (left), Malek, and Gwilym Lee (right) promoting Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018

In 2018, Malek played Freddie Mercury in the Queen movie, Bohemian Rhapsody. The movie was a huge success. It earned over $900 million worldwide. It became the highest-grossing musical movie ever.

While the movie got mixed reviews, critics loved Malek's performance. He won the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award, the BAFTA Award, and the Academy Award for his role.

To prepare, Malek moved to London. He worked with coaches for his accent and movements. He also took piano and singing lessons. He watched videos of Mercury for hours each day. He watched the 1985 Live Aid concert video over 1,500 times. He also wore false teeth to match Mercury's overbite. Brian May, Queen's guitarist, said Malek's performance was so accurate that they sometimes forgot it was Rami. Malek believes playing Mercury is the most important role of his career.

In December 2018, it was announced that Malek would produce and star in a podcast. It was an eight-episode thriller called Blackout. He voiced Chee-Chee the gorilla in Dolittle (2020). In May 2019, Malek joined the cast of The Little Things. He starred with Denzel Washington and Jared Leto. The film was released in January 2021.

On April 25, 2019, Malek was cast as the main villain in the James Bond film No Time to Die. He played the supervillain Lyutsifer Safin. The film was released in October 2021. To support the movie, Malek hosted Saturday Night Live in October 2021.

Malek was part of the cast in David O. Russell's Amsterdam (2022). In December 2021, it was announced that Malek joined the cast of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. He played physicist David L. Hill. The film was released on July 21, 2023.

Malek next starred in the thriller film The Amateur. He also stars as Douglas Kelley in the historical drama Nuremberg, which is currently in post-production.

Acting Style

Malek's early roles showed him as a "character actor." This means he was good at playing many different types of people. He enjoys auditions. He sees them as a chance to try out new things. He has created many different characters for auditions.

After his success with Mr. Robot, he became known as a "leading man." But he was seen as an "unconventional" one. Comedian Pete Davidson has even made fun of his Mr. Robot character on Saturday Night Live. In 2017, Malek was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This group gives out the Oscars.

To get ready for a role, he first feels a bit of panic. Then, he researches the character deeply. He tries to create a whole world for that person. This includes finding music the character might like. He also imagines memories for them. He works best in the mornings and evenings.

Malek likes to try different ways of acting a scene. He keeps trying until he finds the perfect one. Director Sam Esmail said Malek is often not happy with his work. This is true even when the director thinks it's perfect. Because they both want the best scene, Esmail sees Malek as a "co-creator."

Malek is also known for changing his body for roles. He lost a lot of weight to play Elliot Alderson and Freddie Mercury. For The Pacific, he had to keep his body fat very low. During filming The Pacific, Malek found it hard to separate himself from his character. This caused him a lot of stress. He learned that he needed to distance himself from his characters. This helped him take on complex roles later, like Elliot Alderson.

Personal Life

Malek is a private person in interviews. He has said he wants to stay "anonymous" when he travels. He does not use social media. The New York Times said he is "extremely reluctant to dish about himself."

He says he is very different from Elliot, the quiet character he plays in Mr. Robot. He describes himself as an "exuberant person." He likes affection and talking to people. He enjoys meeting strangers and hearing their stories.

In 2009, Malek moved into a house in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles. His brother lived with him. He bought a house next door in 2021.

From 2017 to 2023, Malek was in a relationship with actor Lucy Boynton. From 2023 to 2025, Malek was in a relationship with actor Emma Corrin.

Awards and Nominations

Malek at the 2019 Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet

Malek has won many important awards. For his work on Mr. Robot, he was nominated for three Golden Globes. He also received an Emmy and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2016.

For his role as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, he won several top awards. These include an Academy Award for Best Actor, a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama, the Screen Actors Guild Award, and the BAFTA Award.

He is the first actor of Egyptian heritage to win the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Acting Credits

Film

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2006	Night at the Museum	Pharaoh Ahkmenrah
2009	Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
2011	Larry Crowne	Steve Dibiasi
2012	Battleship	U.S. Navy Lieutenant Hill
	The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2	Benjamin
	The Master	Clark Massey
2013	Ain't Them Bodies Saints	Will
	Short Term 12	Nate
	Oldboy	Matt Browning
2014	Need for Speed	Finn
	Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb	Pharaoh Ahkmenrah
	Da Sweet Blood of Jesus	Seneschal Higginbottom
2016	Buster's Mal Heart	Buster
2017	Papillon	Louis Dega
2018	Bohemian Rhapsody	Freddie Mercury
2020	Dolittle	Chee-Chee (voice)
2021	The Little Things	Jim Baxter
	No Time to Die	Lyutsifer Safin
2022	Amsterdam	Tom Voze
2023	Oppenheimer	David Hill
2025	The Amateur	Charles Heller	Also producer
	Nuremberg	Douglas Kelley	Post-production

Television

Theater

Video Games

Podcasts

See also

In Spanish: Rami Malek para niños