Youssef Kerkour

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Youssef Kerkour is a Moroccan-British actor. He is best known for portraying Syrian refugee Sami in the comedy-drama series Home, a role for which he was nominated at the 2020 British Academy Television Awards.

Early life and education[]

Kerkour grew up in Rabat, Morocco.[1] His father was a Moroccan mathematics professor and his mother an English school teacher; they had met in France in the 1960s and moved together to Morocco.[2] As a child, Kerkour loved to sing and dance,[2] and idolised Bruce Lee after his father took him to a screening of the film Enter the Dragon.[2] In his early teens, Kerkour took a school trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, England, the home town of William Shakespeare, and attended a production of Henry V; he credits this experience with inspiring his love of acting.[2] Kerkour moved to the United States to study psychology at Bard College, but spent much of his time taking dance and acting classes instead.[2] He began pursuing an acting career at the encouragement of a university professor.[3][2]

Career[]

In 2001, Kerkour played The Visitor in a production of the Steve Martin play Picasso at the Lapin Agile.[4] Unable to obtain a visa to remain in the United States, Kerkour moved to England and continue his acting career.[2] He spent two years at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and five years with the Royal Shakespeare Company.[2]

Kerkour starred in the comedy-drama series Home, which debuted in March 2019 and lasted two series.[1] In the series, he played Sami Ibrahim, a Syrian asylum seeker who moves in with a middle-class English family. The role was based on the experiences of real-ife Syrian refugee Hassan Akkad.[1] Kerkour had not expected to be cast as Sami, since it was such a departure from the typecast violent characters he would usually play.[1] In 2020, he said:

"I spent my life playing terrorists. That’s my USP, that's why I grew my beard. I'm a very big guy. I speak Arabic, so a big bearded Arabic man, there’s really one kind of part, traditionally. [Playing] Sami is the first time somebody has taken the chance and given me something more."[1]

For his role as Sami, Kerkour was nominated for Best Male Comedy Performance at the 2020 British Academy Television Awards, losing the award to Jamie Demetriou (for Stath Lets Flats).[5] Kerkour is slated to appear in a film adaptation of The Alchemist, alongside Sebastian de Souza and Tom Hollander.[2]

Personal life[]

As of 2021, Kerkour is married and has a two-year-old daughter.[2] He has lived in London for two decades, and describes himself as a "notorious coffee drinker" in the cafes of Soho.[2]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Cross Eyed Ernie
2006 Infinite Justice Drunk G.I.
2011 360 Policeman Phoenix (Morgue)
2013 Hummingbird Bouzanis
2013 Side by Side Dark Knight
2017 Lost in London Winston the Bouncer
2018 Another Day of Life Farrusco
2019 Close Mr. Kabila
2021 Ron's Gone Wrong Additional voice
2021 House of Gucci Nemir Kirdar

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
2006 The Path to 9/11 Red / Abouhalima 2 episodes
2007 Holby City Jalil Amara Episode: "Someone to Watch Over Me"
2013 Royal Shakespeare Company: Richard II Lord Willoughby Television film
2014 Royal Shakespeare Company: Henry IV Part I Westmoreland
2014 Royal Shakespeare Company: Henry IV Part II
2014 Royal Shakespeare Company: The Two Gentlemen of Verona Eglamour, Sir
2016 Marcella Hassan El-Sayed 2 episodes
2017 Doctors Jamahl Habib Episode: "It's Strange"
2017 Strike Back Sabil Adiz Episode: "Retribution: Part 1"
2017 Bounty Hunters Youssef 3 episodes
2018 Jack Ryan Mr. Sadik Episode: "End of Honor"
2018 Nightflyers Hartley Suczek 3 episodes
2019 Criminal: UK Jay Muthassin Episode: "Jay"
2019 Gavin & Stacey Emlyn Episode: "A Special Christmas"
2019–2020 Home Sami 12 episodes
2020 Dracula Olgaren Episode: "Blood Vessel"
2020 Sex Education Nathan Episode #2.5
2020 Baghdad Central Karl 6 episodes
2020 Cursed Pellam 3 episodes
2020 Worzel Gummidge Farmer Brawn Episode: "Saucy Nancy"
2021 0121 Mr. Simmons Miniseries
2021 Domina Maecenas 3 episodes
2021 Stay Close Fester 8 episodes

Video games[]

Year Title Role
2003 Conflict: Desert Storm II US Foley, US Sgt. Arnold
2004 Street Racing Syndicate Voice

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Badih, Samia (18 June 2020). "'We should tell our stories': How Youssef Kerkour is knocking down Arab stereotypes, one role at a time". The National. Retrieved 4 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Maghribi, Layla (23 July 2021). "Much ado about something: Youssef Kerkour just had to be a big shot". The National. Retrieved 4 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Youssef Kerkour | Performer". www.bafta.org. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  4. ^ Osenlund, Kathryn (2001). "A CurtainUp Review: Picasso at the Lapin Agile". www.curtainup.com. Retrieved 4 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "BAFTA TV 2020: Winners of the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards". www.bafta.org. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
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