Emma Francesca Sidi (/ˈsɪdiː/ SID-ee,[1] born February 1991[2]) is an English actress, comedian, and writer for radio, stage, and screen.[3]
Emma Sidi | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Sidi at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe | |
| Born | Emma Francesca Sidi February 1991 (age 33) United States |
| Alma mater | Emmanuel College, Cambridge |
| Years active | 2011–present |
Early life
editSidi was born to English parents in the United States. Her surname means “sir” in Arabic and comes via her Jewish grandfather. Her father Paul was working in banking at the time and played rugby union for Harlequins.[4] The family returned to the United Kingdom when Sidi was three years old, and after a career in the City, her father retrained as a physiotherapist in Chertsey, Surrey. Sidi was brought up and schooled near Woking, before studying French and Spanish at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, which included studying abroad in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico.[4]
Career
editIn 2016, Sidi appeared in James Acaster's web series Sweet Home Lahnsteineringa alongside Jack Barry. The mockumentary received a £5,000 budget from crowdfunding and was filmed in Lahnstein, Germany.[5]
Stand-up
editSidi was a finalist for the NATYS: New Act of the Year Show in 2016.[6] Her solo shows have often included Sidi playing many different characters. Sidi's Edinburgh Festival Fringe show ‘Character Breakdown’, in 2015, saw her play six different roles, including a feminist professor who delivers a lecture entirely in Spanish. Sidi's 2016 show, ‘Telenovela’, a Mexican soap opera and a European woman who dreams of a life as a TV presenter. In 2018 her show '‘Faces of Grace'’ included an American fresh from a bizarre blind date and a tearful wannabe Love Island contestant. There was also an aspiring nurse described as having “a clench-jawed Katharine Hepburn style drawl”.[7][8][9]
In 2024, she performed a one-woman parody Sue Gray show Emma Sidi is Sue Gray at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before touring the show nationwide.[10]
Television and radio
editSidi appeared in W1A and as Vlogger Millipede in BAFTA-nominated Pls Like.[11] Sidi's other television appearances include in Stath Lets Flats, Drunk History, King Gary, Ghosts and in Starstruck with real life housemate Rose Matafeo.[12] Sidi has also written and performed on The Now Show.[13] In June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic Sidi released La Princesa de Woking, a web pilot based on a character from her 2016 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show in which a Spanish-language soap opera is set in a British cul-de-sac.[14] In July 2021 she appeared as Natalie, Secretary to ex-Prime Minister Henry Tobin, on the BBC radio comedy Party's Over.
Sidi competed in the eighteenth series of Taskmaster, alongside Andy Zaltzman, Babatunde Aléshé, Jack Dee and Rosie Jones. She won four episodes, finishing third overall behind Zaltzman and Dee.[15]
Personal life
editSidi was a member of the Cambridge Footlights.[16] She is married to Al Roberts, also her on-screen husband in TV series Starstruck.[17][18]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The Pickle | Barbara | Short film |
| 2014 | Gregor | Ellen | |
| 2015 | Pillow Talk | Liv | Short film |
| 2019 | Quiet Carriage | Misha | Short film |
| Whippersnap | Maxine | Short film | |
| 2020 | La Princesa de Woking | Becky Hello | Short film |
| 2022 | My First Dick | Hannah Bills | Short film |
| 2024 | Paddington in Peru | Elderly Resident Bear #3 | Voice Role |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Dave Talks | Dr. Beatriz Carranza | Series 1, Episode 3: "Dance Your Destiny" |
| Year Friends | Doctor Emma | Series 1, Episode 7: "July" | |
| 2017 | Drunk History | Local Woman | Series 3, Episodes 2 & 5 |
| Hospital People | Helena's aide | Series 1, Episode 5: "The New Ward" | |
| Summer Comedy Shorts | Herself | Mini-series, Episode 7: "Emma Sidi's Summer: Last Resort" | |
| W1A | Zoe | Series 3, Episodes 2, 3 & 6 | |
| 2017–2018 | Climaxed | Sian | Series 1, Episodes 2 & 6; Series 2, Episodes 1 & 6 |
| 2017–2020 | Curious Under the Stars | Diane | Series 3–10 (34 episodes) |
| 2017–2021 | Pls Like | Millipede | Series 1–3 (16 episodes) |
| 2018 | News Crack | Various | Television film |
| 2019 | Stath Lets Flats | Esme | Series 2, Episode 5: "A Stressfully Date" |
| 2020 | Industry | Amy | Series 1, Episode 1: "Induction" |
| 2020–2021 | King Gary | Anne | Series 1 & 2 (4 episodes) |
| 2021 | Black Death | Spirit | Mini-series, Episode 1: "The Humble Fisherman" |
| 2021–2023 | Ghosts | Eleanor | Series 3, Episode 5: "Something to Share"; Series 5, Episode 3: "Pineapple Day" |
| Starstruck | Kate | Series 1–3 (15 episodes) | |
| 2022 | Don't Hug Me I'm Scared | Bubble Bath Memory (voice) | Series 1, Episode 4: "Friendship" |
| Prince Andrew: The Musical | Emily Maitlis | TV Special | |
| Red Flag | Various | Mini-series | |
| 2023 | Extraordinary | Woman with kid | 1 episode |
| Black Ops | Marsh Ranger | Series 1, Episodes 2 & 3 | |
| A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou | Faye | Series 1, Episode 1 | |
| 2024 | Death in Paradise | Amelia Templeton | Series 13, Episode 7 |
| Taskmaster | Herself / Contestant | Series 18 | |
| Richard Osman's House of Games | Herself / Contestant | Season 8 Episodes 21-25 |
References
edit- ^ "Alex Horne Interviews EMMA SIDI - SERIES 18 - Taskmaster" on YouTube
- ^ Rahier, Julie (30 April 2023). "7 Inspiring Underdog Stories In Short Films". Klipist. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ "Emma Sidi". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ a b Dessau, Bruce (7 February 2019). "Emma Sidi interview: 'My theory is that character comedy is less well regarded than stand-up'". The Standard. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ "James Acaster hits Germany". Chortle. 13 May 2016. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ Bennett, Steve (2 February 2016). "Naty New Act Of The Year final 2016". Chortle. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Gilbey, Ryan (6 August 2018). "Emma Sidi: 'You can only fully write a character if you can love them'". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Fleckney, Paul (18 August 2016). "Emma Sidi: Telenovela". Chortle. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Bennett, Steve (17 August 2018). "Emma Sidi: Faces Of Grace". Chortle. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Aroesti, Rachel (18 October 2024). "'Oh god I'm Sue Gray – don't, I'm cringing': comic Emma Sidi brings the embattled civil servant to the stage". The Guaridan. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ Kalia, Ammar; Davies, Hannah J.; Virtue, Graeme; Harrison, Phil; Howlett, Paul (31 March 2021). "TV tonight: influencers attract ire in series three of Pls Like". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Barr, Sabrina (20 April 2021). "BBC star recalls 'crazy' meeting with cut-throat LA exec who said to 'f*** your friends' on road to stardom". Metro. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ "The Now Show - Series 52 Episode 5". BBC Radio 4. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Gilbey, Ryan (10 January 2020). "La Princesa de Woking: Sex, Brexit and big hair in Emma Sidi's glorious spoof". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Mensah, Katelyn (30 May 2024). "Taskmaster season 18 line-up confirmed: Rosie Jones, Jack Dee and more join cast". Radio Times. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ Bennett, Steve (18 August 2015). "Emma Sidi: Character Breakdown". Chortle. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ Aroesti, Rachel (28 August 2023). "Starstruck series three review – Rose Matafeo's romcom ditches the love story (and is better than ever)". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
- ^ Allfree, Claire (16 July 2024). "Emma Sidi: 'When I was at Cambridge, men kept telling me I hadn't found my voice'". The Telegraph.