Sydney Baker
Early years
I think I’ve always wanted to be seen and heard so I don’t remember when that started, but I do remember the first time I decided I was going to be an actor. It was the last performance of my year 6 production for all of the parents. I was walking out of the school and one of the school mums said “You were just like Emma Watson”. Emma Watson was my favourite actress growing up because I was completely obsessed with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in particular was my favourite character. She was the one who made me feel seen and heard like I had always wanted.
Once I learned to talk, it was basically game over for my parents’ poor ears because from that moment I decided I would never shut up again. Literally. If I received 1p for every time someone told me to shut up I’d be a billionaire right now. But unfortunately, the only thing I got from people telling me to be quiet was the urge to be even louder.
Like most kids, I put on concerts, dances and musicals for my parents and grandparents at every chance I got. And by every chance, I mean absolutely every chance. I’d set up chairs and a stage, sit my family down and perform absolutely anything and then I’d tell them to take a 10-minute break whilst I came up with another dance or song and then I’d show them that. Over and over again. Though at three years old, I couldn't act, I couldn’t sing and I definitely couldn’t dance, so my family had to sit through some pretty awful performances.
But they endured my terrible singing and clapped when I was done, and even told me to show them another song. Ever since I was 2 I’ve been singing along to the radio so singing for them was always my favourite, and before my big year 6 revelation I wanted to be a pop star. I wanted to write songs and show them to the world, and although that dream has changed, I still adore music and walk around the house singing along to absolutely anything stuck in my head.
Even though I didn’t always want to be an actor, I have always loved being on camera. My family took many photos of me throughout my childhood, especially my dad as he loved photography and left the police when I was in secondary school to open his own business, my mum also changed her career path, going from being an accountant to being a counsellor. Growing up seeing my parents change jobs to chase their passions really positively impacted me, it showed me from a young age that taking risks to do what you love is better than being stuck in a job you hate. I’ve always known that I’d never be able to hold down a job where I sit at a desk all day so I’m forever grateful that my parents taught me that that was okay.
I’m so thankful to have such a supportive family who encouraged me in every way they could. When I showed an interest in dance, my parents took me to tap, ballet and musical theatre lessons every week and I loved every second of them. Every night I’d come home and show my mum what I did that lesson, my mum probably ended up sitting through about a million dance shows (both at home and on stage). And once we started doing leaps, no one could stop me. I must’ve been a gazel in a past life or something because for a good while, the sole way I got around was leaping anywhere and everywhere, to the kitchen when getting a drink? Yep, to the bathroom to brush my teeth? Of course, into my bed every night? Most definitely. Dance also gave me the opportunity to perform in front of people outside my family for once, and I adored it.
