Sidney Malik
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
An innovator of immersive film, Sidney Malik is the Director of the First British Virtual Reality feature film "Once Upon A Time In Britain" and the founder of ERA Film Studios and KSA Pro Wrestling. A pioneering creative, Sidney is a rising young British Actor and Producer, Writer and Director of feature films. Malik has also produced independent British Horror feature and cult films, with a focus on projects that exhibit cultural diversity and address important industry realities.
Malik was born in London, England, to a prestigious Saudi-Arabian family, as Siddiq Mahmood Malik, or Syed Siddiq Malik, and performs under the stage name and wrestling persona - Sidney Malik and Sidney King.
His father, Dr Mumtaz Mahmood Malik, was a leading Marketing Executive and the first man to complete a PhD in Marketing in the United Kingdom. After his father passed away in tragic circumstances, Sidney Malik's mother, Lamia, helped to keep his fascination with film alive, bringing up his four other siblings working as a single mother maintaining the life after the early passing of his father.
Sidney Malik would inherit his mother and father's VHS film collection at this time and would sometimes watch 3-4 films a day. Sidney has stated he knew he wanted a career in Acting after being selected to appear in a performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet at the age of ten at the Greenwich Theatre, in a transient moment where he felt the power of acting in keeping the memory of his father alive reciting the iconic words 'Remember Me' on stage. Malik continued to pursue his passion for acting as the lead in various school plays, although his mother sensed his desire for more advanced education. Sidney was soon accepted at the renowned Hill House International School, the chosen primary education institution for HRH the Prince of Wales, where he would excel in his writing and performance skills as well as develop his abilities. Malik would continue his academic career at Highgate School, where Sidney created the Film Society, which showcased thought-provoking, eclectic, and cult films twice a week to his students. At school, Malik was close friends with Harry Gilliam, son of Monty Python Founder and Iconic Director Terry Gilliam, and was invited to a special screening of The Brothers Grimm with Matt Damon and one of his most inspirational actors, Heath Ledger. At school, Malik would showcase his skills as an exceptional young actor, being awarded the Lyttleton Speech Award where he performed a monologue from The Lord of the Rings, playing the iconic Smeagol/Gollum character. He would go on to play a young African American teenager in an adaptation of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, where Sidney was awarded distinction in his drama module. His most exemplary feat at Highgate School was when he gained 100% in his module on the literary works of T. S. Eliot. What was even more remarkable was that he learned the prose in the same classroom where Eliot had taught English a century earlier in 1916. His passion for English Literature and Classical Civilisation remained an integral part of his education, as did his ardor for Shakespeare's work, vowing to one day become one of his generation's greatest storytellers.
Unexpectedly struck by the tragedy of Heath Ledger's passing, who had inspired him so much in his career early on, during an arduous time, Sidney would be faced with the difficult decision of whether he would work in film or pursue a career in Law. He chose to pursue a degree in History, studying world history and honing his skills as a writer at the University of London.
Malik decided to utilize his time at University to gain experience not only in world history but the world, travelling across the United States of America. Sidney Malik would visit the sports entertainment extravaganza Wrestlemania 25 and 26, and by Wrestlemania 27, he would become part of the WWE Family, meeting his childhood idols such as Jake The Snake Roberts, Triple H, and CM Punk. He is even personal friends with WWE Legend Kane and is most definitely a new prominent rising voice in sports entertainment social media. Malik is now fulfilling a lifelong dream of training and performing as a Professional Wrestler with the ERA's Wrestling VR, and recently performed a stunt scene with leading British Professional Wrestler Will Ospreay. After University, in the next two years, Sidney mastered his skills as a filmmaker and writer as well as worked and volunteered in a variety of positions, including at the London Screenwriters Festival, Sundance London, and even Blockbuster Video Store. When Blockbuster Video closed down, Sidney was out of work, and in this time of hardship, he focused his efforts on volunteer work with the Prince's Trust. Sidney soon applied for their Get Started in Media scheme and was accepted, where he would be the first generation to be offered expert training and mentorship at the BBC, West Ham United Football Club, and from the Prince's Trust Ambassadors. The Prince's Trust is a charity organization founded by HRH the Prince of Wales and has helped countless people in gaining professional and personal success, including actor Idris Elba.
After having successfully completed vocational training at the BBC, Malik would be specially selected by West Ham United Football Club as part of their Media team and Community Sports Trust. Here, Sidney worked with the local community in media education. Sidney gained invaluable experience as a film critic in London, publishing feature articles on The Monuments Men with George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Jean Dujardin at the National Portrait Gallery, Lone Survivor, and a special retrospective of Al Pacino at the BFI.
Further developing his impact as a writer and voice in cinema, Sidney would become part of a new horror organization called The Crypt, founded by Eli Roth and Jack Davis. The Crypt App allowed Malik and Eli Roth's Crypt Family to showcase and support each other's game-changing horror content on their own platform. Malik's channel would become the London Crypt, which would soon go on to become Crypt TV UK, the UK base of Crypt TV and the new home of British Horror.
During the Media Scheme with The Prince's Trust, Sidney Malik was able to meet with iconic British Actor Pierce Brosnan with the Fairbridge Scheme. This would become the turning point in Sidney Malik's professional development, where he would be advised firsthand in acting and life from Brosnan and pose his questions. On the set of Brosnan's film, Survivor, also starring Milla Jovovich, Malik spent the day learning what it takes to become and sustain a stellar career in film and was so inspired by the opportunity.
The final part of the Prince's Trust's Media training would see Malik being specially chosen for a scholarship in film at Met Film School, at Ealing Studios. This would be a definitive moment in Malik's life, and he would master the art of documentary filmmaking from British Documentarian Sasha Snow and make his first film - Father Figures. Malik's documentary revealed the true life story of his grandfather, Syed Kamal, an Arab Actor who became Pakistan's most famous film Director, Actor, and Star and father of their national cinema. When Kamal died, he would donate his film collection to Malik, who never quite realized his impact in film nor his life. Malik would concentrate his efforts on making a positive impact in the British Film Industry. This has much been attributed to his attendance of British Film events available to students at the British Film Institute and BAFTA and mentorship from the Prince's Trust. Continuing his work at emerging horror organization Crypt TV, covering events across the UK and the world, working closely with the British Horror Community, helping to bring the Weird Is Good message to the UK and manage the campaigns for their life-changing opportunities such as Six Second Scare, a film competition judged by Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth, Rob Lowe, Elijah Wood, Kid Cudi, and Vanessa Hudgens. As part of the Women In Horror Initiative to the UK, Malik helped to produce Six Hot Chicks in A Warehouse and Egomaniac, two horror features addressing the need for female filmmakers in the horror industry. At this time, Sidney would begin to develop a fascination for virtual reality filmmaking, seeing it as the future of film. Sidney would create a series of virtual reality experiences that would be showcased ahead of Egomaniac's world premiere at Horror Channel's Frightfest Film Festival and was the hallmark event of the opening event of the London Horror Festival. Since then, Malik has led a new wave in British virtual reality production at ERA Film Studios to develop and inundate a new era in film. In 2018, at ERA Film Studios, Malik created the 31 Nights of VR Horror experiences and later undertook the first Masters in Virtual Reality at the University of the Arts London, where he was granted access to the Stanley Kubrick Archive to complete his final thesis project. Sidney Malik is the founder of ERA Film Studios, and an early pioneer of Virtual Reality Film. Extended Reality Academy Film Studios was founded by Sidney Malik during his Masters in Virtual Reality at the University of the Arts London. Written, directed by, and starring Sidney Malik, founder of ERA Film Studios and pioneer of virtual reality cinema, Once Upon A Time In Britain marks a watershed moment in the development of ERA Film Studios and independent innovative British film. Once Upon A Time In Britain is a dark descent into the depths of 1950s London in Film Noir VR, telling a tale of a missing detective and the failed, forgotten, exiled detective tasked to find him. A groundbreaking virtual reality motion picture, witness the first film of its kind and immerse yourself in a scintillating, sinister, groundbreaking film feat and experience like no other. Once Upon A Time In Britain stars Sidney Malik, Steven Berkoff, Will Ospreay, and many more yet to be announced in an elite ensemble cast. Sidney Malik is a supporter of charitable initiatives including Greening The Screen's sustainability in film, Women in Film, Diversity in Media, and socially conscious, environmental, and preservation projects. Rising as the iconic British Arab Actor of this generation, Sidney was recently awarded with the BAFTA Connect special initiative, in its inaugural year. Sidney will also feature in the British Netflix teen TV drama series "Everything Now" starring BAFTA EE Rising Star Award Nominee Sophia Wilde and Stephen Fry. Sidney will also feature in his cinema screen debut in Mahalia Belo's "The End We Start From".
Malik was born in London, England, to a prestigious Saudi-Arabian family, as Siddiq Mahmood Malik, or Syed Siddiq Malik, and performs under the stage name and wrestling persona - Sidney Malik and Sidney King.
His father, Dr Mumtaz Mahmood Malik, was a leading Marketing Executive and the first man to complete a PhD in Marketing in the United Kingdom. After his father passed away in tragic circumstances, Sidney Malik's mother, Lamia, helped to keep his fascination with film alive, bringing up his four other siblings working as a single mother maintaining the life after the early passing of his father.
Sidney Malik would inherit his mother and father's VHS film collection at this time and would sometimes watch 3-4 films a day. Sidney has stated he knew he wanted a career in Acting after being selected to appear in a performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet at the age of ten at the Greenwich Theatre, in a transient moment where he felt the power of acting in keeping the memory of his father alive reciting the iconic words 'Remember Me' on stage. Malik continued to pursue his passion for acting as the lead in various school plays, although his mother sensed his desire for more advanced education. Sidney was soon accepted at the renowned Hill House International School, the chosen primary education institution for HRH the Prince of Wales, where he would excel in his writing and performance skills as well as develop his abilities. Malik would continue his academic career at Highgate School, where Sidney created the Film Society, which showcased thought-provoking, eclectic, and cult films twice a week to his students. At school, Malik was close friends with Harry Gilliam, son of Monty Python Founder and Iconic Director Terry Gilliam, and was invited to a special screening of The Brothers Grimm with Matt Damon and one of his most inspirational actors, Heath Ledger. At school, Malik would showcase his skills as an exceptional young actor, being awarded the Lyttleton Speech Award where he performed a monologue from The Lord of the Rings, playing the iconic Smeagol/Gollum character. He would go on to play a young African American teenager in an adaptation of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, where Sidney was awarded distinction in his drama module. His most exemplary feat at Highgate School was when he gained 100% in his module on the literary works of T. S. Eliot. What was even more remarkable was that he learned the prose in the same classroom where Eliot had taught English a century earlier in 1916. His passion for English Literature and Classical Civilisation remained an integral part of his education, as did his ardor for Shakespeare's work, vowing to one day become one of his generation's greatest storytellers.
Unexpectedly struck by the tragedy of Heath Ledger's passing, who had inspired him so much in his career early on, during an arduous time, Sidney would be faced with the difficult decision of whether he would work in film or pursue a career in Law. He chose to pursue a degree in History, studying world history and honing his skills as a writer at the University of London.
Malik decided to utilize his time at University to gain experience not only in world history but the world, travelling across the United States of America. Sidney Malik would visit the sports entertainment extravaganza Wrestlemania 25 and 26, and by Wrestlemania 27, he would become part of the WWE Family, meeting his childhood idols such as Jake The Snake Roberts, Triple H, and CM Punk. He is even personal friends with WWE Legend Kane and is most definitely a new prominent rising voice in sports entertainment social media. Malik is now fulfilling a lifelong dream of training and performing as a Professional Wrestler with the ERA's Wrestling VR, and recently performed a stunt scene with leading British Professional Wrestler Will Ospreay. After University, in the next two years, Sidney mastered his skills as a filmmaker and writer as well as worked and volunteered in a variety of positions, including at the London Screenwriters Festival, Sundance London, and even Blockbuster Video Store. When Blockbuster Video closed down, Sidney was out of work, and in this time of hardship, he focused his efforts on volunteer work with the Prince's Trust. Sidney soon applied for their Get Started in Media scheme and was accepted, where he would be the first generation to be offered expert training and mentorship at the BBC, West Ham United Football Club, and from the Prince's Trust Ambassadors. The Prince's Trust is a charity organization founded by HRH the Prince of Wales and has helped countless people in gaining professional and personal success, including actor Idris Elba.
After having successfully completed vocational training at the BBC, Malik would be specially selected by West Ham United Football Club as part of their Media team and Community Sports Trust. Here, Sidney worked with the local community in media education. Sidney gained invaluable experience as a film critic in London, publishing feature articles on The Monuments Men with George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Jean Dujardin at the National Portrait Gallery, Lone Survivor, and a special retrospective of Al Pacino at the BFI.
Further developing his impact as a writer and voice in cinema, Sidney would become part of a new horror organization called The Crypt, founded by Eli Roth and Jack Davis. The Crypt App allowed Malik and Eli Roth's Crypt Family to showcase and support each other's game-changing horror content on their own platform. Malik's channel would become the London Crypt, which would soon go on to become Crypt TV UK, the UK base of Crypt TV and the new home of British Horror.
During the Media Scheme with The Prince's Trust, Sidney Malik was able to meet with iconic British Actor Pierce Brosnan with the Fairbridge Scheme. This would become the turning point in Sidney Malik's professional development, where he would be advised firsthand in acting and life from Brosnan and pose his questions. On the set of Brosnan's film, Survivor, also starring Milla Jovovich, Malik spent the day learning what it takes to become and sustain a stellar career in film and was so inspired by the opportunity.
The final part of the Prince's Trust's Media training would see Malik being specially chosen for a scholarship in film at Met Film School, at Ealing Studios. This would be a definitive moment in Malik's life, and he would master the art of documentary filmmaking from British Documentarian Sasha Snow and make his first film - Father Figures. Malik's documentary revealed the true life story of his grandfather, Syed Kamal, an Arab Actor who became Pakistan's most famous film Director, Actor, and Star and father of their national cinema. When Kamal died, he would donate his film collection to Malik, who never quite realized his impact in film nor his life. Malik would concentrate his efforts on making a positive impact in the British Film Industry. This has much been attributed to his attendance of British Film events available to students at the British Film Institute and BAFTA and mentorship from the Prince's Trust. Continuing his work at emerging horror organization Crypt TV, covering events across the UK and the world, working closely with the British Horror Community, helping to bring the Weird Is Good message to the UK and manage the campaigns for their life-changing opportunities such as Six Second Scare, a film competition judged by Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth, Rob Lowe, Elijah Wood, Kid Cudi, and Vanessa Hudgens. As part of the Women In Horror Initiative to the UK, Malik helped to produce Six Hot Chicks in A Warehouse and Egomaniac, two horror features addressing the need for female filmmakers in the horror industry. At this time, Sidney would begin to develop a fascination for virtual reality filmmaking, seeing it as the future of film. Sidney would create a series of virtual reality experiences that would be showcased ahead of Egomaniac's world premiere at Horror Channel's Frightfest Film Festival and was the hallmark event of the opening event of the London Horror Festival. Since then, Malik has led a new wave in British virtual reality production at ERA Film Studios to develop and inundate a new era in film. In 2018, at ERA Film Studios, Malik created the 31 Nights of VR Horror experiences and later undertook the first Masters in Virtual Reality at the University of the Arts London, where he was granted access to the Stanley Kubrick Archive to complete his final thesis project. Sidney Malik is the founder of ERA Film Studios, and an early pioneer of Virtual Reality Film. Extended Reality Academy Film Studios was founded by Sidney Malik during his Masters in Virtual Reality at the University of the Arts London. Written, directed by, and starring Sidney Malik, founder of ERA Film Studios and pioneer of virtual reality cinema, Once Upon A Time In Britain marks a watershed moment in the development of ERA Film Studios and independent innovative British film. Once Upon A Time In Britain is a dark descent into the depths of 1950s London in Film Noir VR, telling a tale of a missing detective and the failed, forgotten, exiled detective tasked to find him. A groundbreaking virtual reality motion picture, witness the first film of its kind and immerse yourself in a scintillating, sinister, groundbreaking film feat and experience like no other. Once Upon A Time In Britain stars Sidney Malik, Steven Berkoff, Will Ospreay, and many more yet to be announced in an elite ensemble cast. Sidney Malik is a supporter of charitable initiatives including Greening The Screen's sustainability in film, Women in Film, Diversity in Media, and socially conscious, environmental, and preservation projects. Rising as the iconic British Arab Actor of this generation, Sidney was recently awarded with the BAFTA Connect special initiative, in its inaugural year. Sidney will also feature in the British Netflix teen TV drama series "Everything Now" starring BAFTA EE Rising Star Award Nominee Sophia Wilde and Stephen Fry. Sidney will also feature in his cinema screen debut in Mahalia Belo's "The End We Start From".
