Looking back at Rami Malek’s 2015 drama Mr. Robot, the actor tapped into the paranoid effects of the internet world, with his captivating performance as the hacker, Elliot Alderson. But not only his performance, even Malek’s decision to take control of the character in his own way, gave the show an interesting approach.
Apparently during the early days of pre-production of Mr. Robot, Rami Malek’s compelling depiction of Elliot Alderson, saved not just creator Sam Esmail from rewriting the character, but also potentially saved the show. Breaking down the initial struggles of finding a potential Elliot, Esmail discussed how Malek turned into the perfect cast for the show.
Mr. Robot Creator Had Struggles Finding Potential Lead
The highly acclaimed and Golden Globe award-winning 2015 show Mr. Robot became one of Rami Malek’s most appreciated works in television. However, the four-season drama series that helmed critics’ praises and received a 94% RT rating, initially had creator Sam Esmail be at the verge of tears.
Struggling to find the perfect cast for the lead role of the genius hacker Elliot Alderson, Sam Esmail revealed how he tried changing and rewriting the character several times. Despite going through myriads of auditions, when the creator failed to find the perfect cast, he almost went ahead to redevelop his approach.
But that’s when Rami Malek stepped up and got it right in no time. Playing the role of Elliot, who was not only the lead of the series but also possessed a fourth-wall-breaking voice-over monologue, the actor performed the role with ease. Making Sam Esmail believe in his character, Malek thus saved the creator from rewriting the role of Elliot Alderson.
Rami Malek’s Approach to The Character Saved The Show
Initially finding it difficult to get actors to play the role of Elliot Alderson properly, Sam Esmail discussed during an interview with NPR, how he was inches close to rewriting the character in order to find the perfect cast. Since he realized the fourth-wall-breaking voice-over monologue was becoming difficult for most actors, Esmail nearly went ahead with his decision.
“They would do these beautiful interpretations of the scene, but the character just came off very cold, very obnoxious, and I was almost going to tell USA [Network], ‘Let’s not do this. This doesn’t make sense,’ or, ‘I got to rewrite this. I think this guy is annoying and I don’t think anybody is going to want to spend every week with this person.’”
However, soon Rami Malek stepped up and turned into the perfect cast for the role of Elliot Alderson in the 2015 drama. Playing the hacker’s dark persona flawlessly while still retaining the attention and sympathy of the audience, Malek undoubtedly stole the show. And that’s how the actor refused a rewrite and came through as the show’s saving grace.
“Then Rami came in, and when he did the scene, he added this vulnerability…And that was the spark that really made that character come to life.”
Malek’s commanding way of playing the character drove the actor to deliver a riveting performance that presented four engrossing seasons before coming to a fitting conclusion.
Watch Mr. Robot on Amazon Prime Video.
