Toheeb Jimoh

Toheeb Jimoh
Jimoh in 2023
Born
Brixton, London, England
Alma materGuildhall School of Music and Drama (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active2015–present
Notable workTed Lasso
The Power
Industry

Toheeb Gbolabo O. Jimoh is an British-Nigerian actor.[1] He earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, was awarded both a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critic's Choice Breakthrough Award for his performance as Sam Obisanya in the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso (2020–2023).

In 2026, Jimoh joined the main cast of acclaimed HBO financial drama, Industry, as trader Kwabena Banner.[2] His performance has been praised as flawless.[3]

Jimoh is set to star alongside Academy-award nominee Cynthia Erivo in Prima Facie, and adaptation of the play by Suzie Miller.[4]

Jimoh will next star alongside David Oyelowo OBE, Sophie Okonedo, and Ayo Edebiri in Clarissa, a contemporary reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway from twin filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri. The project, which will be released by Neon in the US, was shot on 35mm onsite in Nigeria.[5]

Jimoh is an acclaimed stage performer. In 2023, he starred as Romeo in Rebecca Frecknell’s lauded Almeida production of Romeo and Juliet, and opposite Ian McKellen as Prince Hal in Robert Icke’s Player Kings at Noël Coward Theatre.[1] Jimoh has been nominated for multiple Ian Charleson Awards.

He is also known for his debut lead role in the BBC One biographical film Anthony (2020) and the Amazon Prime series The Power (2023).[6][7][1]

Early life and education

Toheeb Gbolabo O. Jimoh was born in Brixton, London,[8] South London,[9] to parents of Nigerian descent.[10] He moved to Nigeria as a toddler and returned to London when he was seven.[10]

He attended The Norwood School[11] before going on to train at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2018.[12]

Career

Jimoh was a relative newcomer to acting when he was cast to play Anthony Walker, the victim of a 2005 racist attack, in BBC One's Anthony,[13] which imagines Walker's life if he had not been killed.[14][15] His portrayal was called "utterly magnetic".[16] He then portrayed Marcus in the Amazon series The Feed.[17]

Jimoh was in a stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Sheffield Crucible[16] and in 2020, was one of six performers in the Almeida Theatre's Christmas Play Nine Lessons and Carols, the theatre's first production post London's COVID-19 lockdown.[18]

When Jimoh auditioned for Ted Lasso, the character of Sam Obisanya was written as Ghanaian, but his background was changed to Nigerian to match Jimoh's own.[19][20] His performance has received praise, with his character called the "heartbeat" of the show.[1]

Jimoh portrays another Nigerian character, journalist Tunde, in the Amazon thriller series The Power, based on Naomi Alderman's novel of the same name.[21] He also has a small part in the Wes Anderson film The French Dispatch.[15]

Jimoh played Romeo in a summer 2023 production of Romeo and Juliet at the Almeida Theatre in London.[22]

In 2024, Jimoh played Hal in Player Kings, an adaption of Shakespeare's Henry IV part 1 and 2 by Robert Icke which also co-stars Ian McKellen and Richard Coyle.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2021 The French Dispatch Cadet 1
TBA Prima Facie Post-production
Clarissa Young Peter Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2019 London Kills Leshae Hobbs Episode: "The Dark"
The Feed Marcus Recurring role, 7 episodes
2020 Anthony Anthony Walker BBC TV movie
2020–2023 Ted Lasso[23] Sam Obisanya Recurring (S1 & 2), Main (S3)
2023 The Power Tunde Ojo Main role
2026 Industry Kwabena Bannerman Recurring role

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Romeo and Juliet Romeo Almeida Theatre, West End
2024 Player Kings Hal Manchester Opera House, Manchester.

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Project Result Ref.
2021
 Critics' Choice Television Awards Breakthrough Award Ted Lasso Won [24]
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated [25]
2022
 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated [26]
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won [27]
2023
 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series Nominated [28]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards Song – Onscreen Performance (TV Show/Limited Series) "So Long, Farewell" (from Ted Lasso) Nominated [29]
2024
 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Ted Lasso Nominated [30]

References

  1. ^ a b c Murray, Cori (8 June 2021). "Meet Toheeb Jimoh, The Heartbeat of 'Ted Lasso'". Essence. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ Ford, Lily (6 February 2026). "Toheeb Jimoh on His Big 'Industry' Moment and Where It Leaves Tender: "Whitney Is Going to Have to Pull a Rabbit Out of a Hat"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  3. ^ Davies, Hannah J. (6 January 2026). "Industry season four review – truly twisted, top-tier television". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  4. ^ Ritman, Alex. Variety. Variety https://variety.com/2025/film/global/prime-facie-first-look-cynthia-erivo-1236570171/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ Grobar, Matt (6 February 2026). "Neon Acquires 'Mrs. Dalloway' Reimagining 'Clarissa' Starring Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, India Amarteifio, Ayo Edebiri & Toheeb Jimoh". Deadline. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  6. ^ Lawler, Kelly. "Review: Believe in the power of Jason Sudeikis and 'Ted Lasso' Season 2". USA TODAY. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  7. ^ Orr, Christopher (6 August 2021). "'Ted Lasso' Season 2 Episode 3 Recap: Youth in Revolt". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  8. ^ Alemoru, Kemi (26 April 2022). "Toheeb Jimoh". Port Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  9. ^ Ordona, Michael (3 August 2022), How Toheeb Jimoh of 'Ted Lasso' found his character's home--and his own, Los Angeles Times{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. ^ a b Breznican, Anthony (6 August 2021). "Ted Lasso: A Willingness to Lose Everything Provides a Needed Win". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Starring Toheeb!". The Norwood School.
  12. ^ "Toheeb Jimoh". Guildhall School. Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  13. ^ Youngs, Ian (23 July 2020). "Anthony Walker: How a life lost in racist killing has been imagined for TV". BBC. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Anthony Walker: TV drama imagines future life of victim of racist murder". BBC. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  15. ^ a b Shury-Smith, Hannah (9 December 2020). "TBB Talks To ... actor Toheeb Jimoh About Almeida Theatre Production 'Nine Lessons and Carols'". The British Black List. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  16. ^ a b Onanuga, Tola (27 July 2020). "Toheeb Jimoh: "My job was to give Anthony the best life possible"". The Face. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  17. ^ Stevenson, Rick (28 August 2021). "Who Plays Sam In Ted Lasso? Where You Know The Actor From". Screen Rant. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  18. ^ Dickson, Andrew (8 December 2020). "'Holding their nerve': Almeida reopens with play devised during lockdown". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  19. ^ Meredith, Karenna (28 August 2021). "Toheeb Jimoh Says Ted Lasso's Most Unexpected Romance Has Been in the Works Since Season 1". Pop Sugar. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  20. ^ Aguilar, Carlos (14 June 2021). "'Ted Lasso' Casting Process Changed the International Team's Composition". Indie Wire. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  21. ^ "The Power - John Leguizamo, Toheeb Jimoh, Ria Zmitrowicz And 4 Others Join Amazon Thriller". spoilertv.com. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  22. ^ Bamigboye, Baz (16 March 2023). "Breaking Baz: 'Ted Lasso' Star To Lead Hot London Production Of 'Romeo And Juliet' Alongside 'Red Rose' Actress Isis Hainsworth". Deadline. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Meet foreign celebrities with Nigerian heritage – Daily Trust". Daily Trust. 21 March 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  24. ^ "Critics Choice Awards Celebration of Black Cinema & Television to Honor Will Smith, Ruth Negga and More on December 6th | Festivals & Awards | Roger Ebert". 3 December 2021.
  25. ^ Moreau, Jordan; Oganesyan, Natalie (4 February 2021). "2021 SAG Awards: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  26. ^ Andreeva, Nellie; Hipes, Patrick (12 July 2022). "Emmy Nominations: The Complete List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  27. ^ Lewis, Hilary; Coates, Tyler (12 January 2022). "SAG Awards: 'House of Gucci,' 'The Power of the Dog' Lead Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  28. ^ Complex, Valerie (15 June 2023). "Black Reel 7th Annual Television Awards featuring Gender Neutral Categories Announces Nominations; 'The Best Man: Final Chapters' leads with 18 noms". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  29. ^ "Nominations unveiled for Hollywood Music in Media Awards 2023". Shoot Online. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  30. ^ "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
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