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Saniyya Sidney's career in the entertainment industry began early on, with her first role being a significant one. She played the iconic character of "Young Kizzy" in the adaptation of Alex Haley's "Roots," alongside director Mario Van Peebles. This historic project was filmed in New Orleans and marked the beginning of an incredible artistic partnership between Sidney and Van Peebles.
Sidney's next project took her to Atlanta, where she played the role of Taraji P. Henson's daughter in the feature film "Hidden Figures." The film, which also stars Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae, tells the true story of three African American mathematicians who computed the trajectory for the first Apollo missions into space and moon landing. This period piece took place in the 1960s and was a pivotal moment in Sidney's career.
Sidney received a call that can catapult the trajectory of a career when Denzel Washington cast her as his and Viola Davis' daughter in the film "Fences." Another period piece, this one taking place in the 1950s, the film was directed by Washington and adapted from the August Wilson play, in which he and Davis reprise their Tony-winning roles.
Sidney's performance in "Hidden Figures" earned her the award for "Best Ensemble" at the Screen Actor Guild Awards. In 2016, she attended the Oscars for the first time for both "Hidden Figures" and "Fences." She also enjoyed being in her first comedy, playing Kevin Hart's daughter in "Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History."
Sidney's next role was in the series "The Passage," where she played the lead role of Amy Bellafonte. This was a role that she will forever treasure. She later played Sasha Obama in Showtime's "The First Lady," reuniting with the amazing Viola Davis, who played Michelle Obama.
Sidney's most challenging physical role was playing tennis icon Venus Williams in the Warner Brother's feature "King Richard." She starred opposite Will Smith, who played the legendary Richard Williams. Her performance was critically praised and has garnered many nominations and wins, including a Critics Choice nomination for "Best Young Actor."
