Rami Malek is known around the world for his Oscar-winning performances, but the actor has an identical twin brother who chose a very different career. Sami Malek has stayed largely outside Hollywood and built a career in education.
In other sibling news, copies of Charles Spencer’s book about his sister, Princess Diana, were stolen prior to the book’s release.
Rami Malek’s Twin Chose Teaching
According to Unilad, Sami was born on May 12, 1981, just four minutes after his famous brother. The twins grew up in Los Angeles with their older sister, Yasmine.
While Rami pursued acting, Sami chose education. He studied American literature and culture at UCLA. He also studied African American studies.
Sami began his teaching career with Teach for America. He later taught middle school English. He now works as a high school teacher.
That career path is a sharp contrast to his brother’s life in Hollywood. Rami became an Emmy-winning television star before winning the Best Actor Oscar for “Bohemian Rhapsody” in 2019.
Sami has still been part of some major moments in his brother’s career. He attended the 2019 Oscars, where the actor won for portraying Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
The Brothers Were Trouble-Makers as Kids
The brothers’ childhood was less conventional than their adult careers might suggest.
According to Unilad, Rami recalled a scheme the twins came up with at school. Students could earn Pizza Hut gift certificates by reading books.
The brothers found a way to turn the challenge into an opportunity.
Rami explained that they used their father’s tape recorder to read books aloud. They then sold the recordings to other students.
The recordings helped those students with their schoolwork. The twins also earned some free pizza.
“We saw an opportunity and we took it,” Rami said.
He also described himself as “a pretty resourceful kid.”
Rami Malek Once Swapped Places With Sami
The identical twins had grown up looking so alike that they found ways to use that resemblance to their advantage.
During a 2015 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Rami revealed that he and Sami had swapped places while they were in college. The switch was designed to help Sami pass a class.
A 2020 Esquire article also revealed more about their upbringing. Their parents, Said and Nelly Malek, were Egyptian immigrants who moved to California in the 1970s.
Their father worked in insurance, while their mother was an accountant. Rami said his father was also a gifted storyteller who introduced the children to classic movies and literature.
Sami Malek Has Stayed Out of Hollywood
Sami has largely followed a life far removed from the entertainment industry.
Sami’s career has remained focused on teaching. His brother, meanwhile, moved from television roles to increasingly prominent film work.
The Esquire interview described how Rami’s career changed after he landed the lead role of Elliot Alderson in “Mr. Robot.” The series earned him an Emmy in 2016.
His success later reached an even bigger level with “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The film became a major box-office hit, while his performance as Mercury earned him the 2019 Academy Award.
In other news, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has debutted chin-length gray hair for her new Broadway role.
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Meet Rami Malek’s Identical Twin Brother, Sami Malek