Rami Malek Opens Up About Being Racially Profiled by LAPD

Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek recently shared a shocking personal experience with racial profiling by the Los Angeles Police Department. Speaking to The Guardian, the Bohemian Rhapsody star recounted being wrongfully detained during his youth in 1990s Los Angeles.

Malek revealed he was thrown onto the hood of a police car after being mistaken for a suspect in a robbery. Authorities claimed the thief was “of Latin descent,” and Malek, who is of Egyptian heritage, was told he “fit the description.”

“I remember how hot that engine was, almost burning my hands,” Malek said, recalling the harrowing ordeal. The situation took a surprising turn when Malek’s Caucasian friend intervened, pointing out that Malek was Egyptian, not Latin.

Despite the tense encounter, Malek maintained his composure. “I remember laughing on the cop car, thinking, ‘OK, this is a very precarious situation. I may well be going to jail for something I’ve not done.’”

This incident is one of several Malek discussed while addressing themes of identity and discrimination. Growing up as a Middle Eastern American, Malek has faced stereotyping, both in daily life and at airports.

Currently, Malek is preparing for a busy year ahead. He will star as Oedipus at London’s Old Vic Theatre and lead the upcoming thriller The Amateur, hitting theaters on April 11. The film, also starring Laurence Fishburne, Rachel Brosnahan, and Jon Bernthal, follows a CIA decoder seeking justice for his wife’s murder.