Oscar winner Malek shocked mom with career bombshell
LOS ANGELES: Oscar winner actor Rami Malek has disclosed how he had shocked his mother with his choice of career.
Malek, who had triumphed with his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, has disclosed how his mother had initially hoped he would pursue something like medicine or the law.
It took her some time to accept his career choice.
“It’s tough to tell a mom you want to be an actor, especially when they’ve come from Egypt,” he told GMA magazine.
“They wanted us as kids to live an American dream and be doctors and lawyers.
“So the second I said I might do something that’s a little bit abnormal, it took a while for her to be able to sit with that.
“But she’s very proud at the moment, I’ll say that.”
In recent months, Malek has been honoured with the likes of a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a Screen Actors’ Guild award and an Oscar.
He’s now hotly tipped to play the villain in the next James Bond movie.
When accepting the Best Actor title during the Academy Awards, Malek made reference to his upbringing as someone “struggling with his identity”.
“I think about what it would have been like to tell little bubba Rami that one day this might happen to him,” he said, and I think his curly haired little mind would be blown; that kid was struggling with his identity trying to figure himself out.
“We made a film about a gay man, an immigrant who lived his life just unapologetically himself.
“The fact I’m celebrating him and this story tonight is proof that we’re longing for stories like this.
“I am the son of immigrants from Egypt, I’m a first generation American - and part of my story is being written right now.
“And I could not be more grateful to each and every one of you, and everyone who believed in me for this moment. It’s something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.”
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is just out on DVD and Blu-ray.