Rami Malek reflects on first Egyptian Oscar win as Cannes appearance sparks emotional response

Rami Malek has spoken about the lasting personal and cultural significance of his Academy Award win, describing it as one of the most meaningful achievements of his career while appearing at the Cannes Film Festival.

The actor joined director Ira Sachs for a Kering Women in Motion talk ahead of the world premiere of The Man I Love, which is screening in competition at Cannes. The film follows a New York based theatre artist named Jimmy, played by Malek, who confronts his mortality after an AIDS diagnosis in the late 1980s. The project also stars Tom Sturridge, Rebecca Hall and Ebon Moss Bachrach.

During the discussion, Malek reflected on how surreal the experience of presenting a film at Cannes still feels. He described the moment as something he never expected to reach in his career, emphasising the importance of appreciating milestones as they happen.

A significant part of the conversation focused on his Academy Award win for Bohemian Rhapsody, where he portrayed Freddie Mercury. The performance made him the first actor of Egyptian descent to win the Oscar for Best Actor, a milestone that continues to shape public discussion around representation in Hollywood.

Malek said the achievement carries meaning beyond personal recognition, pointing to its impact on audiences who identify with immigrant experiences. He highlighted how many people across the world relate to the feeling of displacement or belonging between cultures, and how the award has come to symbolise possibility for others facing similar backgrounds.

He also credited Ira Sachs with shaping a creative environment that allowed him to explore a more intimate and vulnerable performance in The Man I Love. Malek described Sachs as an actor focused director whose approach encourages collaboration and emotional honesty on set. He noted that the trust between filmmaker and performer played a key role in shaping the final work.

Sachs, known for films that explore relationships and identity, co wrote the screenplay with Mauricio Zacharias. Malek praised the director’s wider body of work, describing it as deeply empathetic cinema that continues to resonate with audiences long after release.

The Cannes appearance also placed Malek back into the festival spotlight at a time when his career continues to move between large scale studio projects and smaller character driven films. His comments reflected a consistent theme of gratitude for opportunities that have defined his journey, while also acknowledging the responsibility that comes with visibility.

The Man I Love is set to continue its festival run following its Cannes premiere, with industry attention focused on how the film will be received in competition.