“As an artist, all I could ever wish to do is have my art beget more art and inspire that little black boy with dreams who was just like me”.

Malik James

The Man Behind the Screen

Born in San Antonio, Texas, raised in Houston, Texas, Malik’s first exposure to the theatre was his senior year at Hightower High School in which he played the role of Uncle Henry in the Wiz. Unbeknownst to him, the role would spark what has been a decade long journey in learning, loving, and mastering the craft of acting. After graduating from high school, Malik enrolled at Texas State University majoring in Mass Communications. However, his intense curiosity about the motivation and psychology behind the human spirit and expressions of love, pain, distress, joy- could not be completely answered by the logic of his degree. The longing he felt helped him find his way to the Broadway actor and playwright, Eugene Lee. Mr. Lee proved to be the guiding spirit he needed and inspired him to change majors and dedicate his time to his craft as a BFA Acting major.

Upon graduation his professor, Lauren Lane, told him that she thought he had what it takes to go to grad school. Upon some thought, he ended up auditioning and being accepted into the school formerly known as Yale School of Drama in 2020. Since then, Malik has gone on to make his professional debut during his first year in grad school in Choir Boy at the Yale Repertory Theatre and has been the recipient of countless scholarships and awards including: 1st Place winner of the National Society of Arts and Letters Drama Competition, 2023; CBCF Performing Arts Scholarship, 2023 and many more.

His ultimate goal is that his discipline, success, and courage to decide for myself what career would serve his soul, will inspire other men of color like him who never thought being a creative for a living was a possibility. To lift his brothers and sisters of color, honor his predecessors and express his truth is all he can ever hope for