NEED TO KNOW
Rami Malek’s role in Mr. Robot opened many doors for him in Hollywood.
The Oscar-winning actor, 44, starred in the USA Network series as troubled computer hacker Elliot Alderson for four seasons from 2015 to 2019. His performance nabbed him an Emmy Award and put him on the radar in the industry.
During the show’s run, Malek also portrayed the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the 2018 biographical drama Bohemian Rhapsody.
While participating in a special live taping of Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast at New York Comic Con on Oct. 9, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of Mr. Robot, Malek said he was asked to audition for the Oscar-winning movie after producers saw him in the show.
“Looking back on it now, this show changed my life [and] I owe an immense amount of debt and gratitude to everyone involved. I learned so much from it. I was able to carry myself a certain way going on to future projects,” Malek said.
Jason Mendez/Getty
“I was discovered for Bohemian Rhapsody from producers having watched me in the show. So that was a huge launching pad,” he added.
The actor continued to draw parallels between the singer and Elliot, saying, “Sometimes you could see Freddie Mercury as this grand flamboyant extrovert, but there was very much a shy introvert in that human being as well. And I knew how to do that quite well because of Elliot.”
Show creator Sam Esmail and Christian Slater also participated in the event.
Bohemian Rhapsody follows Freddie Mercury from the formation of Queen to their legendary 1985 Live Aid performance at Wembley Stadium. The movie was directed by Bryan Singer with a screenplay by Anthony McCarten. Joining Malek in the cast was Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Joe Mazzello.
The movie earned four wins at the Oscars, including Best Actor for Malek. It also won Best Motion Picture – Drama at the Golden Globe Awards.
Malek’s other big-screen roles include Night at the Museum and its sequel, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, No Time to Die and Oppenheimer.
Craig Sjodin via Getty
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Speaking to PEOPLE earlier this year about starring in and producing the action thriller The Amateur, the actor looked back on his Oscar win. “That whole feeling, that journey of… we throw this word out, but it is surreal to think that moment has arrived,” he recalled of the special accolade, which came over a decade into his acting career.
“Arrived is not even — it’s just not something that you think is in the ether,” Malek added.
