Taken from our Spring 2023 issue, order your copy here.

“Announcing the BAFTA nominations was insane and then popping up to do Paris Fashion Week for Hermès was so cool,” actor Toheeb Jimoh laughs as he casually reflects on a now common-place, hectic week. “I’m still trying to get my head around the fashion side of this industry. I’ve been to a couple of events now; I went to a Dior show in Cairo in December, which was amazing. I’m on my way to becoming a fashion icon,” he laughs. “At home I’m usually in Daily Paper or in my Jordans. On Instagram, I’m suited up a lot but day-to-day I’m a streetwear guy. You’ll always catch me in tracksuits with a hoodie on.”

Those familiar with Jimoh and his stylish posts will likely know him best as AFC Richmond’s loveable right-winger, Sam Obisanya, from the triumphant Apple TV+ series, Ted Lasso. Although a fan-favourite from the very beginning, Sam undeniably became the heart and soul of the show in its first season back in 2020. “Jason [Sudeikis] and I spoke a bit about what was coming up in season two, and we had a lot more planned for Sam this time. We had the opportunity to grow him and see him in different lights; he wasn’t going to be the happy-go-lucky, sweet Sam from season one. We got to see a more mature side of him, and we really got to see him wrestle with some big stuff.”

Throughout the second season of the show, and thanks to Jimoh’s exceptional portrayal, Sam became even more endearing to audiences as he courageously took on a corrupt airline corporation, battled with his own cultural identity and controversially entered into an unexpected-yet-joyous relationship with club owner Rebecca Welton, played by Hannah Waddingham. “I didn’t expect the Sam and Rebecca stuff and I didn’t know how that was going to go down, but it was exciting nonetheless. Some people really loved it, some people not so much, but either way it was fun!”

Jimoh’s standout performance in the show’s second display deservedly saw him nominated Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2022 Emmy Awards. But, that is not to say that the accolade was something he saw coming. “The Emmy nomination was one of those things you just don’t expect, but it’s always great to get your flowers, I guess. Sam’s story is one that’s very close to my heart and when I get to step up and speak out I feel like I’m speaking for myself, my family and Nigerians everywhere. That was the most important thing for me. Getting the Emmy nomination was just the cherry on top.”

Bashfully looking ahead to the next season, which releases sometime in the spring, Jimoh generously gives a brief hint about what audiences can expect from him this time around. “What I will say is that we follow him on a similar journey in trying to find love and trying to lay roots down in the UK.

While the fate of Jimoh’s most notable character may be under wraps for now, one project the actor is more eager to discuss is Amazon Studio’s highly anticipated science fiction series, The Power. Based on Naomi Alderman’s novel of the same name, the series imagines an alternative world where women suddenly possess the ability to harness electricity from their fingers, which allows them to reassess societal power structures and form a matriarchy. Jimoh plays Tunde, a Nigerian aspiring journalist who starts to document the phenomenon. “Tunde starts off as a character on top of the world, he can do anything, he’s jumping out of one car with one girl to then links with another girl straight after, but that version of him very quickly breaks when he realises how important this phenomenon is.”

Much like Sam in Ted Lasso, Tunde’s Nigerian heritage is a crucial facet of his identity. While some may see the inherent link between the two characters as a mere coincidence, Jimoh sees this as an intentional decision. “One of the reasons I wanted to be an actor in the first place was to voice the opinions I had and make my characters become a mouthpiece for myself and therefore a mouthpiece for all the people who identify with the stuff I identify with, whether that’s coming to a new country, coming from an immigrant family or being black and working class. I always wanted to use these platforms to say things 15-year-old me would say but no one would listen to.”

Another surprising similarity between Jimoh and his on screen counterpart is the parental disapproval of his desired career choice. Early on in the series, we become aware of Tunde’s journalistic aspirations, despite his father’s wishes for him to succeed in the business world. Jimoh lets on that this is a frustration he can whole-heartedly sympathise with. “There were a few raised eyebrows when I told my family I didn’t want to be a politician or a lawyer or a business person and that I wanted to be an actor. I might as well have told them I wanted to be a clown [Laughs.] They had no idea what it was and they were a bit tentative until it started happening. But as soon as they saw me go to
drama school, they were onboard because they could see how much I wanted it.”

Although The Power may seem like the latest in line of popular science fiction shows, Jimoh believes the series will impact audiences in a manner unparalleled to any that have come before. “It’s a cool opportunity to explore our current world in a really unique and imaginative way. We explore the imbalance between genders and races in a way that’s distinguishable from other shows.”

After a whirlwind few years and with a handful of major releases on the way, 2023 is set to be another lively one for the loveable 25-year-old. That being said, Jimoh assures me that he plans on remaining
focused in every aspect of his life. “I’m trying to get in the gym this year and spend more time with friends and family. I’ve spent so much time working over the last few years and I’ve missed so
many things. I’d also like to get back on stage again and do some theatre as that’s where my background is, so I’d love to do a play this year. Mainly though, I need to get in the gym [Laughs.]”