Being a Bond villain can place you alongside some of the greatest big bad’s the big screen has ever known, yet there was a moment of hesitation for actor Rami Malek before signing on to the next Bond film.

The Bohemian Rhapsody star told The Daily Mirror that his Egyptian heritage is part of “the fabric of who I am,” and he was concerned of how his villain would be portrayed in the movie.

“It’s a great character and I’m very excited,” explained Malek. “But that was one thing that I discussed with [director] Cary [Fukunaga]. I said, ‘We cannot identify him with any act of terrorism reflecting an ideology or a religion. That’s not ­something I would entertain, so if that is why I am your choice then you can count me out.’”

After speaking with the director, Malek says his concern was noted and alleviated. “That was clearly not his vision,” said the actor, adding, “He’s a very different kind of terrorist. It’s another extremely clever script from the people who have figured out exactly what people want in those movies.”

Shooting is currently underway on the next Bond film, which currently does not have a title. Franchise star Daniel Craig returned to the set this past week after taking some time off to recover from suffering torn ligaments in a fall earlier this year.

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