Critics are saying it’s his best role since Freddie Mercury.
Rami Malek stars as a gay man in 1980s New York City in a new movie that just screened at the Cannes Film Festival for its world premiere, and audiences certainly seemed pleased.
Directed by Ira Sachs, The Man I Love received a standing ovation that lasted at last eight minutes, Variety reports, a warm reception that left Malek, 45, in tears.
Deadline reported on Wednesday, May 20, meanwhile, that the Bohemian Rhapsody actor’s latest starring vehicle was actually met with a 10-minute ovation. Either way, Malek could very well be generating Oscar buzz once again following his trophy win back in 2019.
Tami Malek, Tom Sturridge and Luther Ford back in terrific ovation for Ira Sachs film The Man I Love #Cannes pic.twitter.com/GR2R8pHO3s
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) May 20, 2026
The Man I Love is notably one of only two American films competing for the top prize, the Palme d’Or, at Cannes this year, Variety also noted, with the other being James Gray’s Paper Tiger starring Adam Driver, Miles Teller and Scarlett Johansson.
“This is a film about what we can bring to each other through art, through love, through pain, through memory,” said Sachs, 60, after Wednesday’s screening, per Variety. “And I hope there are some memories we share from this evening for the festival and our love of cinema.”
In The Man I Love, Malek plays New York theater performance artist Jimmy George in late ’80s New York, according to Deadline. Jimmy is dying of AIDS as the crisis devastates the city’s artistic community. Despite the prognosis, his desire to live and desire one last time is stronger than everything else. Co-stars include Luther Ford, Tom Sturridge, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Rebecca Hall.
Among the other films generating buzz at Cannes is Club Kid, which premiered last week. Actor-filmmaker Jordan Firstman’s feature debut as writer-director-star features Rihanna’s chart-topper “Sex With Me” — and was used before the Grammy winner, 38, had even signed off on it. Rihanna ultimately gave the song use her blessing, however, and Club Kid has since been sold to A24, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
