Rami Malek has definitely managed to get a lot of recognition for his achievements this year. His performance as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, in the biopic movie Bohemian Rhapsody, has earned him a BAFTA, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Golden Globe, critical acclaim (even among critics who didn't care for the movie) - and now he's managed to win Best Actor at the Oscars!
In his acceptance speech, Malek was keen to stress how important his Egyptian heritage was to him, as well as how much he relied on the support of his family.
Referring to his younger self, he stated: "I think about what it would have been like to tell little bubba Rami that one day this might happen to him and I think his curly-haired little mind would be blown. That kid was struggling with his identity, trying to figure himself out.
"To anyone struggling with theirs and trying to discover their voice – listen, we made a film about a gay man, an immigrant who lived his life just unapologetically himself. The fact that I’m celebrating him and this story with you tonight is proof that we’re longing for stories like this.
"I’m the son of immigrants from Egypt. I’m a first generation American. But my story is being written right now and I could not be more grateful to each and every one of you and everyone who believed in me."
So, how did Rami's Egyptian family celebrate his big win after the Academy Awards? Well according to his cousin Fadi, his relatives in Feltaous, Egypt, rejoiced when they saw him on TV, dancing and hugging each other.
In a recent interview, Fadi stated: "It was like watching Egypt score a goal to win the cup. It wasn’t a win for the family only, but also for Egypt... I did not imagine then that Rami would become a world-famous actor, but he clearly loved acting."
He also added that Rami has been planning a visit to Egypt soon, and that he'd called Rami’s mother in Los Angeles to congratulate her son on his triumph and extend an invite for them to visit Egypt.
A friend of the Malek family told British tabloid newspaper the Mirror about the impact Rami's achievements had had on them.
They stated: "The family are very close and, as twins, Sami and Rami are, of course, extremely close. When their father Said died, they became a very tight-knit group. His death really hit them hard and Rami really looked up to his dad, who always encouraged him to stay close to his family. His mother, siblings and cousins are all incredibly proud of Rami and his achievements."
At the Oscars, Rami was joined by his mother Nelly, identical twin brother Sami, sister Yasmine and his Bohemian Rhapsody co-star and girlfriend Lucy Boynton. It really is great that, despite all that he's achieved, he still hasn't forgotten about his loved ones. No wonder they're so proud of him.
