Los Angeles, Jan 19 (NationPress) If you believed that Hollywood star Rami Malek couldn’t exceed the level of being a chameleon by flawlessly embodying music icon Freddie Mercury in the film ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, then the fact that he was mistaken for a criminal will certainly challenge your perception.

The actor experienced a shocking incident where he was "thrown onto the hood of a Los Angeles Police Department vehicle" after being wrongly identified as a suspect, according to ‘Female First UK’.

Now 43, Rami recalls the moment when police apprehended him on the streets of Los Angeles during his youth.

He shared with the Guardian newspaper, "I was placed on the hood of an LAPD cruiser because someone had pilfered a liquor store and snatched a woman’s handbag. The description given was that the (culprit) was of Latin descent, and they said, ‘You match the profile’. I distinctly remember how hot that engine was, as they must have sped over quickly, and it nearly burned my hands.”

He went on to say, “My friend, who happened to be Caucasian, smartly pointed out, ‘Actually, officer, he’s Egyptian. Not Latin’. I can still recall laughing in the back of the police car, thinking, ‘This is quite a precarious situation. I might end up in jail for a crime I didn’t commit’.”

According to ‘Female First UK’, Rami was born in California to Egyptian immigrant parents, and he now recognizes the sacrifices made by them upon their arrival in America.

The 'Oppenheimer' actor elaborated, "The educational system in Los Angeles was lacking. My mother would write lengthy letters in blue ink, detailing our circumstances. She’d always say, ‘I am determined to provide my children with every opportunity possible’. I remember hearing stories of her being pregnant with my brother and me, taking three different buses to get to work and back.”

Rami has previously acknowledged that he faced challenges when trying to fit in during his formative years.