How Rami Malek Saved Mr. Robot From A Rewrite

Before taking on larger-than-life roles like Freddy Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the villainous Lyutsifer Safin in the explosive James Bond flick, "No Time to Die," Rami Malek was the beating heart of Sam Esmail's chilling series, "Mr. Robot." His impressive acting abilities are able to reflect Elliot's inner unresolved childhood trauma that often bubbles up in uncontrollable emotional outbursts or even severe experiences with psychosis. For these heavy responsibilities, Esmail needed an actor with endurance and range, which he found in Malek.

Esmail continued telling NPR how they found the diamond in the rough and how Malek saved the creator from a grueling rewrite. "Then Rami came in, and when he did the scene, he added this vulnerability ... where it doesn't come off [as] commanding or egotistical, even though the words are that — he added this subtext that it was coming from a place of real pain and real vulnerability and real wanting to connect," Esmail said. "And that was the spark that really made that character come to life."

That spark drove Malek's riveting performance for four engrossing seasons before coming to a fitting conclusion for Elliot's moving and satisfying journey. He bravely confronts his demons, both physical and spiritual, before achieving his goal of irrevocably changing the world and, consequently, himself.