Rami Malek, known for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Freddie Mercury, shared his initial hesitations about taking on another role depicting a gay man living with AIDS in his new film, "The Man I Love." Malek voiced concerns that the similarities to his iconic role as the Queen frontman could be "problematic."
Malek discussed his reservations at a press conference, explaining that upon reading the script for "The Man I Love," he felt a sense of fear due to the parallels with Mercury's life. Mercury died of AIDS-related complications in 1991. In "The Man I Love," Malek plays Jimmy George, a performance artist in late 1980s New York also battling the disease.
"I said, 'I can't do this. There's too many similarities. It could be problematic,'" Malek admitted, according to Variety. Despite this initial fear, the actor began to question what he was afraid of, whether it was the similarities, the singing, or the historical period.
Ultimately, Malek decided to trust director Ira Sachs. "I knew I was in extraordinary hands," Malek stated, "not only to depend on him throughout the film, but to elevate it, to push myself, to force myself to race into that fire."
Malek emphasized that while his character Jimmy George shares some similarities with Freddie Mercury, they are also "worlds apart," and he views them as "two radically different figures altogether."
Sachs, in turn, explained his reasoning for casting Malek. "With a film like this, you needed someone who had a certain kind of mystery, a certain kind of potential for the unexpected, but also truly a star quality," Sachs said. "A star is someone who emits light and also asks to be seen."
Malek also reflected on taking on the role of Jimmy, calling it a "very big risk worth taking." He added, "And to that, it’s a film about people who create and what that costs."
"The Man I Love" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Malek attended alongside co-star Tom Sturridge. Malek appeared on the red carpet in a patterned blue shirt under a navy velvet blazer, while Sturridge wore a black suit. During the premiere, Malek was seen briefly examining a photographer's camera before resuming his posing.
The film, set in 1980s New York, follows an artist navigating a period between sickness and mortality. It is competing for the Palme d'Or and Queer Palm at the festival. The movie received an eight-minute standing ovation following its screening.
Malek won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2019 for his role as Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2018). He previously told The Guardian that the "scariest endeavors" he has chosen have been the most fulfilling. His upcoming projects include "The Amateur" and "Nuremberg," both slated for 2025.