Rami Malek feels ‘honored’ after receiving standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival for ‘The Man I Love’

Rami Malek became visibly touched at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

The 45-year-old American actor, who made a name for himself with the portrayal of Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury in the 2018 biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody, received an almost nine-minute standing ovation for his film The Man I Love at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20.

While receiving the post-screening applause and standing ovation, Malek was clearly overcome with emotions. He attended the premiere with his co-stars Luther Ford and Tom Sturridge.

Directed by Ira Sachs and set in late 1980s in New York City, the film stars Malek as Jimmy George, an actor who battles AIDS, a life-threatening illness, and lands what may be his final major role.

Chatting with reporters the very next day at the amfAR Gala held at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, The Amateur star shared his feelings by saying, “It was extraordinary, if it’s once in a lifetime, I will take it.”

“Just being here is once in a lifetime; if it happens again, glorious. I feel humble, I feel honored, I feel very human. I’m grateful,” Malek stated.

After the screening, Sachs showed gratitude to the festival for appreciating The Man I Love, its cast and crew, saying, “This is a film about what we can bring to each other through art, through love, through pain, through memory.”

The Delta director added, “I hope that there are some memories we share from this evening for the festival and our love of cinema, really. And this is the place that we can do that together.”

“None of us will be here forever, just to say. But there are certain moments that we will remember. And I tried, with this film and this incredible cast, to fill this movie with things that I want to remember. So, this night will now be added to that,” Sachs concluded.