Saniyya Sidney Explained

Saniyya Sidney
Birth Date:30 October 2006[1]
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2012–present

Saniyya Sidney (;[2] [3] born October 30, 2006) is an American actress. Her accolades include nominations for three Black Reel Awards, two Critics' Choice Awards, an NAACP Image Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Following independent and short film roles, Sidney earned recognition with the horror series (2016). Her breakthrough came with the period drama film Fences (2016), for which she received a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. She appeared in the biographical film Hidden Figures (2016) and the superhero film Fast Color (2018), before earning praise for leading FOX's vampire drama The Passage (2019) and playing young Venus Williams in King Richard (2021). For the latter, she was nominated for the Black Reel Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.

Career

Sidney began acting in 2012, starring in a minor role as Amity in the short horror film The Babysitters. She next made a guest appearance as Kizzy Waller in the miniseries Roots,[4] and was soon cast in the horror television series in the recurring role of Flora Harris, which was her breakthrough role. Both were played in 2016.[5] Sidney starred in the period drama film Fences as Raynell Maxson,[6] and also starred in the biographical drama film Hidden Figures as Constance Johnson, both of which were released in December 2016.[7] [8] The films were critically acclaimed, and the former film earned her nominations for the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.[9] [10]

Sidney next starred in the superhero film Fast Color as Lila, the daughter of Ruth,[11] which had its world premiere at the South by Southwest film festival on March 10, 2018.[12] [13] The film attained a release in theaters the following year.[14] In January 2019, Sidney was cast in the lead role of Amy Bellafonte in the fox series The Passage, for which her performance was critically acclaimed. The series was cancelled after one season. In the same year, she starred as Riley in the Netflix comedic special Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History, which was released in February.[15]

Sidney appears in the 2021 biographical drama film King Richard as Venus Williams, a daughter of Richard Williams, alongside Will Smith.[16] She had never played tennis prior to accepting the role and learned to play tennis in Venus' style, including playing right-handed when Sidney is left-handed.[17] She earned critical acclaim for the role,[18] with Variety magazine praising her for "handling both the dramatic and athletic dimensions of their characters across a span of approximately three years."[19] She received several awards for her performance, including nominations for the Black Reel Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.[20]

Sidney is set to appear in The First Lady for Showtime as Sasha Obama.[21] [22] In January 2022, Sidney was tapped to play Claudette Colvin in the drama film Spark, directed by Anthony Mackie, which is his directorial debut.[23]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012The BabysittersAmityShort film
2016FencesRaynell Maxson
Hidden FiguresConstance Johnson
2018Fast ColorLila
2019Kevin Hart's Guide to Black HistoryRileyNetflix special
2021King RichardVenus Williams

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016RootsKizzy Waller (age 6)Episode: "Part 2"
Flora Harris4 episodes
2019The PassageAmy BellafonteMain role
2022The First LadySasha ObamaRecurring role

Awards and nominations

Solo awards

Year AwardCategoryWorkResult Ref
Las Vegas Film Critics SocietyYouth in Film - FemaleKing Richard[24]
Online Association of Female Film CriticsBreakthrough Performance[25]
Best Youth Performance[26]
African-American Film Critics AssociationBreakout Actor[27]
Black Reel AwardsBreakthrough Performance - Female
Critics' Choice Movie AwardsBest Young Actor/Actress[28]
Music City Film Critics AssociationBest Young Actress[29]
Online Film & Television AssociationBest Youth Performance[30]
San Diego Film Critics SocietyBest Youth Performance[31]
Hollywood Film Critics AssociationStar on the Rise AwardHerself[32]
Santa Barbara International Film FestivalVirtuoso Award[33]

Ensemble awards

Year AwardCategoryWorkResult Ref
Best Acting EnsembleFences[34]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association AwardsBest Ensemble
Black Reel AwardsOutstanding Ensemble
Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture[35]
Black Reel AwardsOutstanding EnsembleKing Richard
NAACP Image AwardsOutstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture[36]
Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture[37]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Introducing 10-Year-Old Actress Saniyya Sidney!. The Real Daytime. YouTube. January 30, 2017. August 30, 2017.
  2. Web site: Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton Ask Each Other Anything. IMDb. November 17, 2021. January 26, 2022.
  3. Web site: How I Became Venus Williams in 'King Richard'. Teen Vogue. November 19, 2021. January 26, 2022.
  4. Web site: Saniyya Sidney . LA Management . February 24, 2016 . November 22, 2016 . Themes Industry & Different Themes . https://web.archive.org/web/20180311081202/http://www.lamanagement.co/saniyya-sidney-on-roots/ . 11 March 2018 . Topman.
  5. Web site: Saniyya Sidney on American Horror Story . LA Management . Topman . September 20, 2016 . November 22, 2016 . Themes Industry & Different Themes . https://web.archive.org/web/20180311081259/http://www.lamanagement.co/saniyya-sidney-on-american-horror-story/ . 11 March 2018.
  6. Web site: Mykelti Williamson & Russell Hornsby Reprise Roles For 'Fences' Movie . . Anita . Busch . Anthony . D'Alessandro . April 4, 2016 . November 22, 2016 .
  7. Denzel Washington, Viola Davis head to 1950s Pittsburgh in Fences first look . . Devan . Coggan . September 6, 2016 . November 22, 2016 .
  8. It's Official: Fox's 'Hidden Figures' NASA Film to Get Oscar-Qualifying Limited Release . . Hilary . Lewis . October 15, 2016 . November 22, 2016.
  9. Web site: Critics Choice Awards Critics Choice Awards. 2021-05-25. en-US.
  10. Web site: T. H. R. Staff. 2016-12-14. SAG Award Nominations 2017: The Complete List. 2021-05-25. The Hollywood Reporter. en-US.
  11. Web site: David Strathairn, Lorraine Toussaint & Others Join Drama Thriller 'Fast Color' . . Anthony . D'Alessandro . March 15, 2017 . April 13, 2017 .
  12. SXSW: Emily Blunt's 'A Quiet Place' to Open Fest . . Mia . Galuppo . January 31, 2018 . March 10, 2018.
  13. Web site: Fast Color . . March 10, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180630025014/https://schedule.sxsw.com/2018/films/116514 . 30 June 2018 . 2018.
  14. Web site: Codeblack Films Nabs Rights To SXSW Pic 'Fast Color'. N'Duka. Amanda. 2018-09-20. Deadline. en. 2020-03-19.
  15. Web site: Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History Netflix Official Site. www.netflix.com. en. 2020-03-19.
  16. Web site: Tinubu. Aramide A.. 2021-11-19. 'King Richard': How Breakouts Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton Aced Venus and Serena Williams. 2021-11-22. IndieWire. en.
  17. Web site: Saniyya Sidney Goes From Playing One American Icon to the Next. 2022-01-26. W Magazine. en.
  18. Web site: Grantham-Philips. Wyatte. Grantham-Philips. Wyatte. 2022-01-13. 'King Richard' Star Saniyya Sidney on SAG Nominations and Favorite On-Set Memories: 'Every Day Was the Best'. 2022-02-09. Variety. en-US.
  19. Web site: Debruge. Peter. 2021-09-03. 'King Richard' Review: Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis Inspire as Venus and Serena Williams' Eye-on-the-Prize Parents. 2022-02-09. Variety. en-US.
  20. Web site: Press Releases.
  21. Web site: 'The First Lady': Regina Taylor To Play Michelle Obama's Mother In Showtime Anthology Series; Saniyya Sidney, 2 More Cast. Deadline Hollywood. Denise. Petski. April 13, 2021. April 13, 2021.
  22. Web site: Petski. Denise. 2021-04-13. 'The First Lady': Regina Taylor To Play Michelle Obama's Mother In Showtime Anthology Series; Saniyya Sidney, 2 More Cast. 2021-05-25. Deadline. en-US.
  23. Web site: Anthony Mackie Making Directorial Debut On 'Spark;' 'King Richard's Saniyya Sidney To Star As Unsung Civil Rights Pioneer Claudette Colvin. Fleming. Mike Jr.. Deadline Hollywood. January 19, 2022.
  24. Web site: The 2021 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Nominations. NextBestPicture. Matt. Neglia. December 12, 2021. December 20, 2021.
  25. Web site: Online Association of Female Film Critics 2021 Awards – Nominees. 17 December 2021. 4 January 2022.
  26. Web site: 2021-12-06. 2021 WAFCA Award Winners. 2021-12-20. The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association. en-US.
  27. Web site: Murphy. Jackson. 2022-01-17. 'The Harder They Fall' Wins Best Picture at African American Film Critics Association Awards. 2022-01-17. Variety. en-US.
  28. Web site: Verhoeven. Beatrice. 2021-12-13. 'West Side Story,' 'Belfast' Lead 2022 Critics Choice Film Nominations. 2021-12-20. The Hollywood Reporter. en-US.
  29. Web site: The 2021 Music City Film Critics Association (MCFCA) Winners. Matt. Neglia. Next Best Picture. 25 January 2022. 25 January 2022.
  30. Web site: The 2021 Online Film & Television Association (OFTA) Nominations. NextBestPicture. Matt. Neglia. 6 February 2022. 7 February 2022.
  31. Web site: 2021 San Diego Film Critics Society Award Winners. January 10, 2022. San Diego Film Critics Society. January 11, 2022.
  32. Web site: 5th Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) Awards winners: 'CODA' named Best Picture, Andrew Garfield and Kristen Stewart nab lead acting prizes. Erik. Anderson. AwardsWatch. 28 February 2022. 16 March 2022.
  33. Web site: 2022-01-06. Santa Barbara Film Festival to honor Haim, DeBose, 6 others. 2022-01-07. KOB 4. en.
  34. Web site: La La Land Leads with 12 Nominations for the 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards . Critics' Choice . December 1, 2016 . December 20, 2021.
  35. Web site: SAG Awards 2017: The Complete List of Nominations . . December 14, 2016 . December 20, 2021.
  36. Web site: Lewis. Hilary. 2022-01-18. NAACP Image Awards: 'Harder They Fall,' 'Insecure' Lead Nominations. 2022-02-09. The Hollywood Reporter. en-US.
  37. Web site: Coates. Hilary Lewis, Tyler. Lewis. Hilary. Coates. Tyler. 2022-01-12. SAG Awards: 'House of Gucci,' 'The Power of the Dog' Lead Film Nominations. 2022-02-09. The Hollywood Reporter. en-US.

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