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Sam Obisanya

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sam Obisanya
Ted Lasso character
First appearance
"Pilot"
Last appearance
"So Long, Farewell"
Created byBill Lawrence
Jason Sudeikis
Portrayed byToheeb Jimoh
In-universe information
Full nameSamuel Obisanya
GenderMale
FamilyOla Obisanya (father)
NationalityNigerian
Occupation
Football player
Position
Midfielder
Team
AFC Richmond

Samuel Obisanya is a fictional character from the television series Ted Lasso performed by Toheeb Jimoh. He is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a midfielder for A.F.C. Richmond after starting out as a right-back. He is known for his technical ability, ball control, and attacking play.

Sam was originally written as a Ghanaian. The production later changed his nationality to Nigerian after Jimoh was cast. Jimoh received praise for his portrayal of Obisanya, including a Screen Actors Guild Award (as part of an ensemble) and Celebration of Black Cinema and Television Award. He was also nominated for an Emmy and a Hollywood Critics Association TV Award.

Character biography

[edit]

Backstory

[edit]

Sam Obisanya is a Nigerian footballer born to Ola Obisanya.[1] He began his professional career in Nigeria before moving to England to continue playing.[2] He joined A.F.C. Richmond from a club in the Nigerian Football League.[3][4]

Season one

[edit]

Sam arrived at Richmond just before the beginning of the show's first season. At age 21, he was the youngest player in the squad and initially played as a defender. Under coach Ted Lasso, Sam gradually became more confident and developed a stronger role within the team, this despite him being picked on by teammate Jamie Tartt.[3] In "Biscuits", Ted learns that Sam is homesick and arranges a birthday celebration for him before Richmond's match against Crystal Palace; Sam then performs notably well in the match. Jamie, however, continues to pick on Sam during training, until team captain Roy Kent steps in to defend him.[5]

Sam reappears in "Two Aces", where he took part in Richmond's attempt to lift a supposed curse surrounding the treatment room.[6][7] The following week, in "Tan Lines", Sam is hurt during a match, but Roy encourages him to carry on. Later in the match, Roy passes the ball to Sam rather than taking a shot himself, and Sam scores the winning goal, the team's first win of the season.[8][9]

Sam's relationship with Rebecca Welton was one of season one's central relationships.[10][11] Sam and Rebecca started unknowingly communicating with each other on the anonymous dating app Bantr.[2][12] The two learned they were communicating with each other when they met in person; they went to dinner together, then Sam brought Rebecca home, where they kissed.[13] Later, after losing to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, Rebecca messaged Sam asking if he was free. The two continued messaging, then decided to start a secret relationship.[14]

Season two

[edit]

Following Richmond's relegation from the Premier League,[a] Sam became more prominent in the squad as Lasso helped him transition from defender to midfielder. Sam's performances improved in this new position as he became more involved in the team's play.[16]

Sam earned his first hat-trick for Richmond during a Championship match. Immediately after, wealthy Ghanaian business man Edwin Akufo offered to buy Sam’s contract for an African team.[17][18] In the episode "Midnight Train to Royston", Akufo revealed plans to buy Raja Casablanca, a team made up of some of Africa's best footballers. He gave Sam three days to think about this offer, and while Sam was tempted by the proposal, he chose to stay with Richmond.[3]

Sam had a close relationship with his father, Ola Obisanya, who had a significant influence on him in season two.[19][1] During the third episode of the second season, Sam was offered the opportunity to appear in an advertising campaign for Dubai Air, one of Richmond's sponsors. However, after learning from his father about the environmental damage in Nigeria caused by Cerithium Oil,[20] Sam withdrew from the campaign and during his next match, he covered the sponsor's logo on his jersey; he also spoke publicly about the relationship between the Nigerian government and Cerithium Oil.[21] The controversy resulted in Dubai Air ending its sponsorship of Richmond,[22][23] and following this, Sam became more active on issues important to him and his home country.[24][25]

Season three

[edit]

In addition to playing for Richmond, Sam opens a Nigerian restaurant in London named Ola's, after his father.[26] The restaurant becomes a source of considerable pride and a way for Sam to stay rooted in his heritage. This, however, is tested when Sam becomes involved in a Twitter feud with UK Home Secretary Brinda Barotover. Sam posts that he would rather be a mediocre player than a world-class bigot, and receives backlash in response. The situation escalates when Ola's is trashed by anti-immigration protesters, who deface the restaurant with Barot's words and messages telling Sam to return to Africa. Sam's teammates later help Sam at the restaurant.[27][28]

Development and portrayal

[edit]

Sam was originally written as Ghanaian. The production later changed his nationality to Nigerian after Toheeb Jimoh was cast.[29] Jimoh auditioned for the role using the birthday cake scene, in which Sam rejects a toy soldier[30][4] because of its association with imperialism.[31] After Jimoh was cast, casting director Theo Park said the production was looking for an actor who could give Sam warmth and positive energy, and that about a dozen actors were considered for the role.[32][33]

Jimoh's background informed his portrayal of Sam. Born in London to Nigerian parents, Jimoh moved to Nigeria as a toddler, then moved back to London at age seven. According to Jimoh, this experience helped him relate to Sam's experience as a young Nigerian living abroad.[34][35] Jimoh also stated that Sam's relationship with his father, specifically Sam's father's influence as a role model who shaped his values, confidence, and understanding of masculinity, was informed by his relationship with his father.[36]

Jimoh played football while growing up and said that playing a Nigerian character and a footballer had been ambitions of his, making this role particularly appealing to him.[31] Jimoh’s portrayal of Sam was also influenced by his knowledge of Nigerian culture.[37]

Jimoh's portrayal developed alongside Sam's growing prominence in the series. In the first season, Sam is reserved, adjusting to life in England while trying to find his place at Richmond, while in the second season, Sam became one of the team's leaders. Jimoh described the change as maturing from a homesick player into someone confident enough to stand by his convictions and challenge others. Of particular note was the storyline involving Sam and club sponsor Dubai Air; writer Ashley Nicole Black said this storyline was developed around the question of how young athletes can use their public platform to speak about issues they believe in.[36][38]

Reception

[edit]

Critical reception

[edit]

On the culture website Africa Is a Country, Harvard University lecturer Lilly Havstad highlighted Sam's Nigerian identity and his storylines concerning race, football, and Africa's place within the fictional professional game; she also noted that relatively little critical discussion had focused on him compared with the show's other major characters.[3] Salon, however, was more critical of Sam's development, arguing that although he was portrayed as thoughtful, gentle, and emotionally intelligent, little about his inner life, motivations, or personal development beyond his relationships and interests were revealed.[39]

In a review of the second season, Lucy Mangan of The Guardian highlighted Sam's storylines involving the Black Lives Matter movement and the controversy surrounding Richmond's sponsor, describing them as being handled movingly and unforced. Mangan also wrote that the series gave its supporting characters, including Sam, greater depth in the second season.[40] Josh Spiegel of What's on TV similarly singled out Sam as one of the strongest parts of the second season, describing him as the show's "secret best part."[41] British GQ later described Sam as the "moral beating heart" of the series, citing his kindness and development as a midfielder,[34] and after the show's third season, Collider wrote that Sam was the only character worthy of a spin-off.[26]

Sam's storyline in the second-season episode "Do the Right-est Thing", in which he opposes Richmond's sponsor Dubai Air, was particularly well received, with critics praising the character's development, the handling of the subject matter, and Jimoh's restrained performance.[40][42] The storyline, however, also drew criticism: writing for Winnipeg Free Press, reviewer Alison Gillmor argued that while Sam's confrontation with the sponsor raised the issue of economic imperialism in Nigeria, the conflict was resolved too easily.[43]

Sam's relationship with Rebecca received a more mixed review. In an opinion piece for The Washington Post, Alyssa Rosenberg described Sam as "endearing and seductive" but also questioned aspects of his relationship with Rebecca, including their age difference and Rebecca's position as the one who signs Sam's paychecks.[44]

Race portrayal

[edit]

Scholar Rukmini Pande, writing in the Journal of Popular Television in 2024, analyzed Sam's story in relation to race and English football. Pande wrote that the show Ted Lasso dealt with racism by focusing on what individuals do rather than looking at bigger problems in institutions. She pointed out that Sam's inner life received less attention than those of white characters on the show, and also that Sam's good portrayal can become a form of tokenism and a "post-racial" view of race.[45]

Accolades

[edit]
Awards and nominations received by Toheeb Jimoh
Award Year Category Result Ref.
Celebration of Black Cinema and Television 2021 Breakthrough Actor – Television Won [46]
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards 2022 Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy Nominated [47]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated [48]
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2021 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated [49][50][51]
2022 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won
2024 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated

In other media

[edit]

Sam Obinsaya appeared in the 2023 video game FIFA 23 by EA Sports as a playable character for A.F.C. Richmond.[52]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ Richmond needed to win or tie its final match of the previous season to avoid relegation; however, they lost and were relegated from the Premier League to the Championship, as depicted in the season one episode "The Hope That Kills You".[15]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Lerner, Jamie (2023-04-26). "Sam Has the Best Dad in 'Ted Lasso' (Even If He Is Somewhat Evil in 'Game of Thrones')". Distractify. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  2. 1 2 "Rebecca & Sam's Age-Gap Relationship On Ted Lasso Has Generated A Lot Of Buzz". Yahoo Entertainment. 2026-08-16. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Havstad, Lilly (March 2, 2022). "Ted Lasso and the Afropolitan". Africa Is a Country. Retrieved 2026-08-25. The Afropolitics of one of the characters, Sam Obisanya, makes the second season of TV series "Ted Lasso" even better than the first.
  4. 1 2 Kerr, Mandi (2021-08-15). "'Ted Lasso': Sam Obisanya's Toheeb Jimoh Auditioned With a Memorable Scene From Season 1". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
  5. ↑ Hart, Daniel (2020-08-14). "Ted Lasso season 1, episode 2 recap - what happened in "Biscuits"". Ready Steady Cut. Retrieved 2026-09-10.
  6. ↑ Hart, Daniel (2020-09-04). "Ted Lasso season 1, episode 6 recap - what happened in "Two Aces"". Ready Steady Cut. Retrieved 2026-09-10.
  7. ↑ "Ted Lasso Season 1, Episode 6 recap: Two Aces". Show Snob. 2020-09-07. Retrieved 2026-09-10.
  8. ↑ Hart, Daniel (2020-08-28). "Ted Lasso season 1, episode 5 recap - what happened in "New Underwear"". Ready Steady Cut. Retrieved 2026-09-10.
  9. ↑ Sophia, Gissane (2021-07-17). "Ted Lasso Season 1, Episode 5 Review: 'Tan Lines'". Lady Geeks Media. Retrieved 2026-09-10.
  10. ↑ Hall, Cameron Roy (2022-06-22). "Ted Lasso Stars Get Real About Sam And Rebecca's Unconventional Romance". Looper. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  11. ↑ Daley, Katerina (2021-10-11). "Ted Lasso: 10 Ways Sam & Rebecca Are Perfect Together". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
  12. ↑ Stevenson, Rick (2021-08-28). "Ted Lasso's Rebecca Bantr Match Twist Fixes Season 2's Problems". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  13. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (2021-08-27). "'Ted Lasso' Shock: Rebecca's Secret Online Lover Revealed". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  14. ↑ L; i; n; d; a; H; o; l; m (2021-09-10). "'Ted Lasso' Recap, Season 2, Episode 8: Father Figures". NPR. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  15. ↑ "3 Takeaways from AFC Richmond v Manchester City". AFC Richmond. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
  16. ↑ "Water...and the Ted Lasso effect". Second Sight. 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  17. ↑ Naletilic, Dora (2023-05-21). "'Ted Lasso': Who Is Edwin Akufo? & Why Does He Hate Sam?". Fiction Horizon. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  18. ↑ Bardini, Julio (2023-05-22). "'Ted Lasso' Season 3: Is Edwin Akufo's Super League Based on Real Life?". Collider. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  19. ↑ "Ted Lasso Season 3: Who plays Sam's dad?". Dexerto. 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  20. ↑ Power, Tom (20 March 2023). "Toheeb Jimoh on 'Ted Lasso', representing Nigeria and finding his voice". CBC. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  21. ↑ "Nigerian Environmental Justice in the Locker Room of Ted Lasso: A Conversation with Roy Doron -". 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  22. ↑ Yoesting, Travis (7 August 2021). "The World Needs More Footballers Like Sam Obisanya". The18. Archived from the original on 15 March 2026. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  23. ↑ McCormick, Colin; Hood, Cooper (2021-08-06). "Ted Lasso: Is Dubai Air Real? Season 2 Controversy Explained". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  24. ↑ Jones, Brian (2021-08-06). "'Ted Lasso' Season 2: Sam Makes Controversial Decision That Impacts AFC Richmond in Episode 3". PopCulture.com. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  25. ↑ Schwartz, Ryan (2021-08-07). "Ted Lasso Recap: AFC Richmond Rallies Behind Sam To 'Do The Right-Est Thing'". TVLine. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  26. 1 2 Myers, Kendall (2023-04-28). "This Is the Only 'Ted Lasso' Character That Deserves a Spinoff". Collider. Retrieved 2026-08-25.
  27. ↑ Betancourt, Manuel (April 26, 2023). "Ted Lasso recap: The show gets back to focusing on some damn soccer". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  28. ↑ Dailly, Paul (April 26, 2023). "Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 6 Review: The Strings That Bind Us". TV Fanatic. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  29. ↑ "'Ted Lasso' Casting Process Changed the International Team's Composition". Yahoo Entertainment. 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  30. ↑ Ferguson, Deborah (2021-09-17). "Toheeb Jimoh -". Content mode. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  31. 1 2 Jarabek, Danny (2023-06-09). "Interview: Embodying the Joy of 'Ted Lasso' with Toheeb Jimoh". Awards Radar. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  32. ↑ Milling, Robin (2021-08-24). "Ted Lasso Casting Director Theo Park Fulfills Each Role With the 'Ted Lasso Effect' - M&E - Media and Entertainment". mande.net. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  33. ↑ babrams (2023-08-31). "Best of Summer 2023: Emmy-Nominated Casting Director Theo Park on Fielding the Perfect Squad for "Ted Lasso"". Motion Picture Association. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  34. 1 2 Ford, Lucy (2023-04-19). "Toheeb Jimoh is ready to hang up his boots". British GQ. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  35. ↑ "How Toheeb Jimoh of 'Ted Lasso' found his character's home — and his own". Los Angeles Times. 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  36. 1 2 Rodriguez, Karla (2022-01-05). "'Ted Lasso' Star Toheeb Jimoh Talks Male Vulnerability, Sports Activism and Being a Child of Immigrants". Complex. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  37. ↑ Lewis, Tim (2023-04-09). "'I look for the good in all situations': The Power's Toheeb Jimoh". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  38. ↑ Schwartz, Ryan (2022-02-21). "Fresh Off Ted Lasso, Emmy Winner Ashley Nicole Black Is On A Mission To 'Make More People Feel Seen'". TVLine. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  39. ↑ McFarland, Melanie (2021-09-25). "OK "Ted Lasso" fans, time to have a conversation about our dear, wonderful Sam Obisanya". Salon. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  40. 1 2 Mangan, Lucy (2021-07-23). "Ted Lasso season two review – the most joyous show on TV scores again". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  41. ↑ Spiegel, Josh; Obisanya, as Sam (2021-08-27). "In Praise of the Secret Weapon of 'Ted Lasso': Toheeb Jimoh". What to Watch. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  42. ↑ Sophia, Gissane (2021-08-06). "Ted Lasso Season 2, Episode 3 Review: 'Do the Right-est Thing'". Lady Geeks Media. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  43. ↑ "Jul 2021: Opinion: After Season 2's slow start, Ted Lasso finds back of net". Winnipeg Free Press. 2021-07-24. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  44. ↑ Rosenberg, Alyssa (2021-09-30). "Opinion | 'Ted Lasso' is a sweet show. But this season's big romance has a sour taste". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  45. ↑ Pande, Rukmini (2024-09-02). "Do not fight back, fight forward: An analysis of Ted Lasso's approach to systemic race/ism in the English Premier League". Journal of Popular Television, The. 12 (2): 149–164. doi:10.1386/jptv_00121_1. ISSN 2046-9861.
  46. ↑ Hammond, Pete (November 10, 2021). "Will Smith, Ava DuVernay & Antoine Fuqua Among New Honorees For CCA's Celebration Of Black Cinema & Television". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  47. ↑ Verhoeven, Beatrice (July 7, 2022). "'This Is Us,' 'Succession,' 'Severance' Lead 2022 HCA TV Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  48. ↑ Snierson, Dan (September 12, 2022). "See the full list of 2022 Emmy winners". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  49. ↑ Gonzalez, Sandra (April 4, 2021). "SAG Awards: See the full list of winners". CNN. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  50. ↑ Nolfi, Joey (February 27, 2022). "CODA blazes trail for deaf actors at Screen Actors Guild Awards 2022: See the full list of winners". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  51. ↑ "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  52. ↑ "FIFA 23: AFC Richmond player ratings & Ted Lasso Ultimate Team rewards | Goal.com". www.goal.com. 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
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