Rami Malek is favorite to win Best Actor
Rami Malek won his first Oscar on Sunday as best lead actor for his portrayal of singer Freddie Mercury, the flamboyant late frontman of the British rock band Queen, in the musical drama 'Bohemian Rhapsody.'Malek, 37, had emerged as a favorite for the Oscar in recent weeks after winning Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and British BAFTA awards.
A Los Angeles native of Egyptian descent, Malek took on the role of Mercury, born to ethnic Parsi parents from India who moved their family to England when their son was in his late teens. The film dramatizes the origins of Queen and Mercury's personal battles, including his struggle with his sexuality and drug and alcohol use. In 1991, he was one of the first British celebrities to die from AIDS, at age 45.
Taking the stage to accept his award, Malek drew parallels between his and Mercury's real-life experiences in coming to grips with their personal identities and finding their voices as artists."We made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life just unapologetically himself, and the fact that I'm celebrating him and this story with you tonight is proof that we're longing for stories like this," Malek said.
"I am the son of immigrants from Egypt. I'm a first-generation American, and part of my story is being written right now," he said to applause.In addition to Malek's win for best actor, the film earned Oscars for film editing, sound editing and sound mixing.
