Rami Malek opens up about his experience of alleged racial profiling by the police

Rami Malek shared a shocking account of being racially profiled by police officers because of his appearance.

The Egyptian-American actor, whose parents immigrated to the US from Cairo before he was born, revealed in a recent interview that he was once mistaken for a suspect in an alleged crime.

This isn’t the first time Rami Malek has spoken out about issues surrounding his heritage.

The Oscar-winning actor spoke about his terrifying experience with the Los Angeles Police Department.

“I got thrown on the hood of a (LAPD) cop car because somebody robbed a liquor store and stole a woman’s purse,” Malek claimed in the interview. Guardian. “They said (the thief) was Latino and ‘you fit the description.'”

Malek described the physical discomfort of the encounter, recalling, “I remember how hot that engine was; they must have been rushing there and I almost got my hands burnt.’

The actor added that his Caucasian friend intervened to find out his background, telling officers: “Actually, sir, he’s Egyptian. Not Latin.”

Despite the serious nature of the situation, Malek noted that he laughed nervously as he was strapped into the car. “I remember laughing in the police car and thinking, ‘OK, this is a very dangerous situation.’ I may well end up in jail for something I didn’t do.’

Malek did not provide additional details about when the incident occurred and did not elaborate in an interview. The Los Angeles Police Department has not issued a statement on Malek’s allegations.

Malek, which won an Academy Award for playing Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, grew up in Los Angeles with his parents and twin brother, Sami. As the children of Egyptian immigrants, their Middle Eastern heritage was a defining part of their identity.

“Traveling is difficult enough. Don’t make it complicated,” Malek shared in an interview with Guardianreflecting on the challenges he encountered while navigating his identity. “I started thinking, ‘What’s going on?’ every time i tried to enter the country. There may be a moment these days. Then they’ll say, “No, that’s the guy from Bohemian Rhapsody.” Skip him.”

Malek’s sharp instincts were shaped by his upbringing in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, where he lived with his parents, Saeed and Nelly, and his siblings. His parents, who were Orthodox Copts, immigrated to the United States in 1978 from Egypt. His older sister, Yasmin, is now an emergency physician, and his twin brother, Sami, shared the family’s early experiences as first-generation immigrants.

The family spoke Arabic at home, and Malek did not learn English until he was five or six years old. “I didn’t speak English until I was five or six years old,” Malek said Guardian. He humorously recalled Sami returning from a visit to his aunt in Detroit with only two English words: “yes” and “no.” “It pissed me off that he was promoting this ability to be bilingual,” Malek joked.

The Malek household was lively and culturally rich. They lived in a modest two-room apartment filled with banter, or “nakkit” in Arabic, and the tantalizing aromas of Egyptian cuisine. Malek’s father, a butcher, taught the children how to properly cook meat. “Very young, we were wielding knives, until this happened…” he said, showing the scar between his thumb and forefinger.

Despite his worldwide fame, Malek noted that the experience of otherness remains. “I don’t know how you ever get over it,” he admitted. “They call me ‘white mimo’ but I have very distinctive features and we definitely didn’t match.”

Malek explained how his background shaped his perspective and intuition. “We had a strange way of sensing people. … I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse. Sometimes I find it harmful. You won’t help at all,” he said.

For Malek, his legacy remains both a challenge and a source of pride, influencing his life experiences and defining his path in Hollywood and beyond.