When Bohemian Rhapsody star Rami Malek won Best Actor at the 2019 Oscars, there was one critical name missing from his acceptance speech.
The 37-year-old actor thanked his family, his fellow cast, his girlfriend, Lucy Boynton and the members of Queen but he made no mention of Bryan Singer, the former director of Bohemian Rhapsody.
“My family, thank you for all of this. My dad didn’t see me do any of this, but I think he’s looking down at me right now,” he said, making no reference of Singer.
“To the Academy, to people who took a chance on me every step of the way. Graham King, Dennis O’Sullivan, everyone at Fox and New Regency, thank you so much. I may not have been the most obvious choice but I guess it worked out.
“Thank you Queen, thank you guys for allowing me to be the tiniest part of your phenomenal, extraordinary legacy, I am forever in your debt.”
Watch Rami Malek make his Oscar’s acceptance speech for Best Actor:
The 53-year-old director was fired from the Freddie Mercury biopic in December, 2017, two weeks after filming was set to be completed and replaced with Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher.
Prior to the 2019 Oscars, award commentators and film critics alike had speculated whether or not Malek would mention Singer in his speech since he was always the favourite to take out the ward.
It speaks volumes that Malek did not give Singer one moment of Oscars glory, despite the fact the director is still taking credit from the film’s success.