Landing a guest spot on Grey’s Anatomy in 2025 was a bit of a thrill for Sydney Malakeh, who portrays Sydney DiMera on Days of our Lives, for a few reasons. What she never envisioned, however, was actually becoming friends with one of the show’s stars: Anthony Hill, who portrays Dr. Winston Ndugu.
Memorable Guest Spot
“I haven’t watched all the seasons of the show,” admits Malakeh. “But the first four or five, my mom and I would watch them together when I was younger. So that was an iconic show to be a part of, and it was also one of the bigger guest star [roles] that I have done. I was really just proud of the way that I was able to show up on set. I was able to see the growth in myself as an actor and as a person.”
Malakeh appeared in the Season 21 episode titled “Jump (For My Love)” and played Carrie, a young woman whose father is severely injured in a motorcycle accident. Fortunately, Dr. Ndugu and Dr. Warren (Jason George) happen to be driving by, and she flags them down for help.
Forging A Friendship
“That was one of the most beautiful onset experiences I have ever had,” says Malakeh, reflecting how much she enjoyed working with the two lead actors. “Then, a month later, I got a DM from [Anthony Hill]. I got it right around my birthday, and it was the gift of a lifetime. He found my Instagram account and DM’d me. He just reached out to say that I had left a mark on him and that he was very inspired [by my work]. And he commended me for my artistry and the way that I showed up on set. Since then, and it’s been almost two years, he and I have become friends.”
That friendship has included a lot of positive reinforcement from Hill. “Before I booked DAYS he told me, ‘You are going to [get something]. I believe in you,’” recalls Malakeh. “He has become a mentor for me to this day.”
