Who Is Rami Malek's Twin Brother? New Details About Sami Malek
A quick guide to the actor's less famous — yet equally attractive — brother.
getty Rami Malek has been around the block when it comes to acting in Hollywood blockbuster films and compelling TV shows, but it seems as though he’s hitting his peak with several recent major roles. Fans of USA Network’s Mr. Robot know him as the title character, Elliot Anderson, a role for which he won both a Critic’s Choice Award and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He will also be playing the part of Freddie Mercury, the legendary lead singer of Queen, in the highly-anticipated Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, which hits theaters on November 2, 2018.
But did you know there's an actual Rami Malek twin out there?
According to IndieWire, Malek may have high chances of winning another award in the not-so-distant future. After guild screenings of Bohemian Rhapsody in New York and Los Angeles, critics panned the actor’s performance as “strong,” “magnificent” and “outstanding” amidst mixed reviews of the movie as a whole.
Rami Malek’s acting chops are proven versatile by his impressive repertoire of films and television series. He has played both comedic and dramatic roles. His looks alone have allowed him to become somewhat of a Hollywood heartthrob with ample tabloid coverage and modeling campaigns (including Dior).
A lesser-known factoid about the actor, however, is that he has an identical twin brother with the same swoon-worthy face but different talents. Sami Malek also lives in the Los Angeles area but keeps a lower profile than his esteemed twin brother. Here are 5 details about Sami Malek and his famous doppelganger.
1. Rami and Sami are Egyptian-American.
The Malek brothers’ parents migrated to the United States from Cairo, Egypt before the twins were born. While they were born in Los Angeles, the brothers were raised in the Coptic Orthodox Christian faith. Rami has publicly spoken in Arabic.
2. Sami used to be an ESL teacher.
Sami formerly taught English as a second language to middle schoolers in Los Angeles. Like many English language experts, he is also a talented writer as demonstrated by this 2011 essay regarding the California budget crisis.
“When I began thinking about what I was going to write, the only thing I was confident I wanted to do was insert food-related puns, idioms, and metaphors any chance I would get. I didn’t try to avoid them, but I’m glad they didn’t make it to the page. Aah, the hell with it— They tried to stick a fork in us, but we’re not done!” he concludes. The essay was published on Fork Your Consideration, a food-focused Wordpress blog.
3. He now works at the STEM Academy of Hollywood.
According to his bio on the STEM Academy website, Sami double-majored in American Literature and African-American Studies at UCLA. He then earned a Master’s degree in Secondary English Education from Loyola Marymount University. His latest job description includes analyzing literature with high schoolers and teaching English to international students.
4. Rami has posed as Sami.
The most mischievous twins have all tried to pull some tricks with their similar looks. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Rami Malek admitted to posing as his brother to perform a Greek tragedy monologue in order to help Sami pass a class in college. Although the twins don’t appear exactly identical anymore, the facade worked and Sami passed his class (thanks to Rami’s performance) with flying colors!
5. The two shared birthday parties … and gifts.
As a twin myself, I can attest to the frustration that is sharing every birthday party and gift until adulthood (when birthdays aren’t quite as fun anymore). Rami and Sami are no different. In a birthday video interview with W Magazine, Rami jokingly described his favorite birthday as being the first one where he and Sami received separate gifts that they didn’t have to share with each other. For most birthdays growing up, he said, friends and family would give them gifts that were intended for both of them.
So, if you find Rami Malek to be physically delectable yet inaccessible, perhaps you have a chance with his equally attractive brother, who is just as successful minus the complexities of fame. He’s certainly a catch!
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Emily is a freelance writer based in Colorado, USA. She is interested in politics, feminism, and psychology and enjoys photography and outdoor activities in her spare time.