Mithra Marie-Anne Malek, also known as Missy Malek, is a British actress, screenwriter, and director.
Early life and education Malek was raised in London and is of Middle Eastern descent. As a teenager, she joined the National Youth Theatre. Malek attended Queen's Gate School and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Philosophy from Oxford University. She also studied clowning under Philippe Gaulier.
Career
Theatre At the Theatre Royal Windsor in 2021, Malek appeared in Hamlet, with Sir Ian Mckellen in the title role, as Osric and understudied Ophelia, stepping into the role on multiple occasions. Malek then starred in Michael Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard in the lead role of Anya, opposite Sir Ian McKellen in the role of Firs. Rosemary Waugh of The i Paper highlighted Malek's performance, singling her and Mckellen out as "redeeming features" of the production, while The Stage praised her "subtlety". and Judi Herman of WhatsOnStage wrote "Malek, who made so much of the small role of Osric in Hamlet, shows an affecting depth as Ranevskaya's conflicted daughter". Writing for The Guardian, Michael Billington noted that Malek's Anya and Kezrena James's Varya "affectingly portray older and younger versions of Chekhov's female paradox."
In 2024, Malek served as the alternate for Rachel Zegler in the role of Juliet in Sam Gold's Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet (billed as R + J) at the Circle in the Square Theatre, performing opposite Kit Connor.
Malek played the lead role of T in the world premiere of The Meat Kings Inc. of Brooklyn Heights at London's Park Theatre in late 2025. Malek was described as a "revelation" by Theatre Weekly and "a standout" for her "slowly unbending hardness" by Nick Curtis of the Evening Standard. Patrick Marmion of the Daily Mail described Malek as "an exciting prospect", writing that as T, "she can turn on a dime — childlike and panicky one minute, dishing out verbal roastings the next."
In 2026, Malek played the title role in a contemporary staging of the Greek tragedy Iphigenia at the Arcola Theatre, opposite Simon Kunz and Indra Ove. Nick Curtis of the Evening Standard described her performance: "Malek emerges from the audience, a potent, dark eyed presence... Speaking with measured emphasis, she passes from joy to despair to acceptance, weeping hot tears on the way". He noted "her performance is as arresting as the one she gave in the wildly different role as an ex-con butcher in The Meat Kings Inc. Of Brooklyn Heights".
Television and film In 2022, Malek appeared in the Netflix legal drama Anatomy of a Scandal. She starred in the 2024 film Party People opposite Matthew Daddario.
As a filmmaker, Malek wrote, directed, and acted in the short film Laughing Branches starring herself, Tom Hanson, and Leo Suter. Laughing Branches screened at international film festivals in 2017 and 2018 and picked up a number of accolades. Her second short film Tala premiered at the 2019 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Malek directed and wrote her third short We're Too Good For This based on a true story. The short film opened at the 2021 BFI London Film Festival. Malek was selected as a 2024 fellow for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2015 Anti-Social Fashion PR Girl 2016 Now You See Me 2 Case Assistant 2017 Laughing Branches Alex Page Short film; director, writer, producer 2019 Tala, Tala Short film; director, writer, executive producer 2021 We're Too Good for This Short film; director, writer 2022 Anatomy of a Scandal Nikita Miniseries; 5 episodes 2024 Party People Dana Also known as Party O'Clock
Stage Year Title Role Notes 2020 Love from a Stranger Mavis Wilson Theatre Royal Windsor 2021 Hamlet Osric The Cherry Orchard Anya 2024 Romeo + Juliet Juliet Alternate Circle in the Square Theatre, New York 2025 The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights T Park Theatre, London 2026 Iphigenia Iphigenia Arcola Theatre, London
References
External links
Missy Malek at Spotlight