When Rami Malek was asked to play the villain in the latest 007 movie he had to think twice before accepting the role.
The Mirror reported on Wednesday (July 03, 2019) that most actors would have jumped at the chance to play a Bond baddie and instantly signed on the dotted line.
But, fresh from his Oscar-winning performance as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami wanted a cast-iron guarantee from the filmmakers first.
The 38-year-old simply wanted an assurance from director Cary Fukunaga that the villain he would play would not be a religious fundamentalist or an Arabic-speaking terrorist.
Malek, who is of Egyptian heritage, told the Mirror the following in an article published Tuesday when discussing his demands for the role with director Cary Fukunaga:
I said, ‘We cannot identify him with any act of terrorism reflecting an ideology or a religion. That’s not something I would entertain, so if that is why I am your choice then you can count me out.' But that was clearly not his vision. So he’s a very different kind of terrorist.
Rami MalekHe called his Egyptian heritage “the fabric of who I am” according to The Independent.
“I am Egyptian,” he said. “I grew up listening to Egyptian music. I loved Omar Sharif. These are my people. I feel so gorgeously tied to the culture and the human beings that exist there.”
Bond 25’s expected release date is April 2020 and will star Daniel Craig as the title character.
