Golden Globes: Rami Malek Thanks Queen in Best Actor Speech

The actor beat out Bradley Cooper, John David Washington, Lucas Hedges and Willem Dafoe for the best actor honor.

Rami Malek took home the Golden Globe for best performance by an actor in a drama film on Sunday night for his role as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.

The actor beat out Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born, John David Washington in BlacKkKlansman, Lucas Hedges in Boy Erased and Willem Dafoe in At Eternity's Gate.

"Oh my god, I am beyond moved," Malek said at the podium. "My heart is pounding out of my chest. This is a profound honor to be counted among such extraordinary actors, I am privileged. Thank you to the Hollywood Foreign Press and to everyone who worked so tirelessly on this film. I have to thank [producers] Graham King and Denis O'Sullivan, you've worked over a decade to make sure this story was told. Thank you to 20th Century Fox, you believed in us."

"I have to thank my mom and my family," Malek continued. "Of course, to Queen. To you, Brian May, to you, Roger Taylor, for ensuring that authenticity remains in the world. And to Freddie Mercury, this is for you."

Backstage in the pressroom, Malek added a short comment. "There was only one thing that we needed to do and that was to celebrate Freddie Mercury in this film. Nothing was going to compromise that."

Asked whether Mercury changed him in a particular way, Malek responded, "Very powerfully. … there are aspects of Freddy Mercury that I relate to. You can look at this man and see him step onstage with these incredible individuals and together form this superhero rock god icon status. He is a deity, he is a god. He could hold an audience in the palm of his hand."

"I tried to find the humanity in him," Malek continued. "I related to the nature of him being an immigrant, struggling to discover his identity … looking at that, he lifted me up to be everything I could be on this film."

Malek has been racking up award nominations this season for his interpretation of Mercury, who led rock band Queen to fame in the 1970s and '80s. He died in 1991.

Malek's Golden Globe comes on the heels of nominations from the AACTA International Awards, Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Austin Film Critics Association, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards and Chicago Film Critics Association Awards.

Bohemian Rhapsody also won the Globe for best film - drama, ending the awards ceremony with two major wins.

Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh hosted the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards, which took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 6.

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