Method acting is an old and reliable technique of acting created and honed by Stanislavsky in the thirties. Many actors employ this technique to make their characters pop to life. But there are times that intervention from professionals is needed to make the scene realistic. Did you know that is precisely what Rami Malik did in Mr. Robot?
Rami Malek wanted to make his “hacking” scene realistic as he worked on the Mr. Robot TV series. He had tech advisers whisper instructions to him as he acted to make his scene look believable.
Who is Rami Malek?
Rami Said Malek was born on May 12, 1981 in LA. He was born to Egyptian immigrants and had an identical twin brother who was four minutes younger than he was. His father was a tour guide in Cairo, while his mother worked as an accountant. Malik also has an older sister who became a doctor when they grew up.
The Egyptian actor attended Notre Dame High School and then earned his bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Evansville in 2003. He began his acting career when he landed guest roles the different TV series like Gilmore Girls, Over There, and Medium. He also landed an essential role in the American sitcom The War at Home.
In 2006, Malek made his film debut when he was cast in the comedy-fantasy film Night at the Museum as Pharaoh Ahkmenrah. The movie’s success also earned him to be re-cast in the movie’s series Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian in 2009. The following year, the young actor appeared in a few episodes of 24 and in The Pacific.
He also played parts in different movies like Larry Crowne and Battleship. And in 2012, he appeared in the Twilight Saga film series, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. Malek then reprised his role as Pharaoh Ahkmenrah in the third installment of the Night at the Museum film series in 2014.
Malek got a big break in 2015 when he played the lead role in the drama thriller TV series Mr. Robot. He played the character Elliot Alderson, a cybersecurity engineer and hacker who was recruited by anarchist Mr. Robot. His role in the series won him an Emmy Award.
Malek was also cast in different roles that were most appreciated by critics, mainly when he portrayed singer Freddie Mercury in the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody. Malek won several awards, including the Academy Award for best actor. (Source: The Famous People)
Rami Malek on Mr. Robot
Mr. Robot was a TV series following the lives of a group of elite hackers whose plan is to take down a powerful corporation and help society by erasing consumer debt, believing that this act will lead to a more just and equal world.
The show’s creator, Sam Esmail, wanted to portray the hacker culture as authentic as possible. He believed that movies that portrayed hackers weren’t close to what it is to be a hacker, with him having first-hand experience in his younger years as a computer-savvy kid.
With this vision, Esmail hired Kor Adana, a writer, and consultant who, in his past life, worked as a cybersecurity consultant. Adana became part of the writing team for the series, helping conceptualize each episode to make it feel authentic.
Malek pitched in to make episodes as authentic as possible. To have his hacking scenes look legitimate, he had technical advisers whisper instructions to him as he typed on camera. His method worked, helping Malek win an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series. (Source: Looper)