Rami Malek is the first to admit he’s no funnyman.
“I’ve played a lot of dramatic roles in my career – most recently, the new Bond villain – but I don’t usually do comedy,” the 2019 Oscar winner for “Bohemian Rhapsody” said Saturday, amiably hosting his inaurugal “Saturday Night Live.”
“I tend to do these really intense characters,” Malek continued, “which makes a lot of sense because people tell me I have what’s called a ‘resting villain face.’ ”
Rami Malek:Why he wasn’t afraid to go up against James Bond (and what happened to his face?)
Malek, 40, who starred in USA’s “Mr. Robot,” has gradually learned to embrace his weirdness.
“I’ve always been more drawn to villains,” Malek said in his opening monologue. Growing up obsessively watching Disney’s “The Lion King,” “I actually found Simba to be kind of annoying. You want to be king? You’re 3 years old.”
As for Jodie Foster thriller “The Silence of the Lambs,” which turns 30 this year, “I’m always like, ‘That poor Hannibal. That lady Clarice just keeps coming in and asking him all these questions. Leave the guy alone!’ ”
Malek currently stars in the latest James Bond thriller “No Time to Die” (now in theaters) as the maniacal Lyutsifer Safin, a bioterrorist seeking control of the world and 007’s love interest, Madeleine (Lea Seydoux).
“I kept reminding myself that James Bond might be powerful and a hero to all,” Malek told USA TODAY. “But there is no greater adversary, greater power or more intelligent human being than Safin. That’s his vision of himself.”
Malek appeared as everything from a stink bug to a Prince wannabe to Pete Davidson during the show, even paying tribute to Netflix’s hottest series right now, “Squid Game.” He was joined by 007 co-star Daniel Craig, who surprised audiences by popping in during Saturday’s episode.
