Rami Malek Praised for 'Oppenheimer' Performance, Fans Think He's 'Back'

Rami Malek has proven to be a scene-stealer in "Oppenheimer" -- something his biggest fans are ecstatic about ... especially considering his mixed-bag journey in Hollywood.

The Oscar-winning actor is one of several stars with a smaller role in Nolan's latest feature -- which is getting rave reviews. Ditto for a lot of the supporting performances, including RM ... who shows up for an impactful monologue at a critical moment in the movie.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! ... Rami's big scene comes toward the end, when Robert Downey Jr. is revealed to be the bad guy -- who's trying to smear Cillian Murphy/Oppenheimer. Rami sits in as a witness in front of Congress, and he backs Oppenheimer in emphatic terms.

Essentially, his character -- who only had a couple of lines up until this point -- turns out to be a major game-changer in the trajectory of the film ... and it happens at the drop of a dime.

While brief, his work is getting hailed as a standout in a flick packed with talent -- especially on Twitter, where folks are (jokingly) saying they were right to hold onto their Rami Malek stock ... 'cause he's great. His resume of late hasn't always reflected that, unfortunately.

Fact is ... Rami's ascension in showbiz has, at times, felt stunted -- even after he won Best Actor for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody" ... which was controversial. Some felt he didn't deserve the win that year ... of course, others disagreed.

Point is -- since then, he hasn't really blown up the way people thought he would, or should ... instead getting sprinkled into movies here and there, somewhat unremarkably.

However, now ... a lot of his supporters feel vindicated by what he did in 'Oppenheimer,' and are hoping he'll be put back on the leading man trajectory that they feel he deserves.