Egyptian-American actor Rami Malek’s Oscar win was not only remarkable, but also controversial. His victory sparked a string of various debates – one of which the status of the LGBTIQ+ community in Egypt. Malek took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Freddie Mercury in the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. Since he portrayed a queer rock icon, many social media users took the opportunity to highlight the plight of LGBTIQ+ individuals in Egypt. Egyptian state media proudly reported Malek’s Oscar win, as the latter was born in the United States to Egyptian immigrants. “Rami Malek has made Egyptians happy and proud tonight as the first Egyptian American to win an Academy Award,” the Embassy of Egypt in the U.S. tweeted.