Samson Kayo is a multi-talented British entertainer with specialties ranging from acting, writing, and production. He is notable for Famalam(2017-2020), Bloods(2021-2022), Sliced(2019-2020), and Our Flags Means Death(2022).
The 33-year-old who stands on a height of 5ft 10 inches tall has garnered awards and recognitions to show for his work including RTS male comedy performance in 2022 and a nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance at the 2018 British Awards.
Samson Kayo Traces His Ancestry to Nigeria
He was born Samson Kayo on June 20, 1991, in London. From what we gathered, he is of Nigerian descent, and this has influenced his belief in the realness of voodoo and witchcraft, and by extension his belief in the spiritual. Aside from this, he has managed to keep the details about his parent’s identity away from the media. Nonetheless, he grew up alongside a younger brother whose identity has not been revealed. Sadly, he lost his younger brother in 2021.
While growing up, Kayo wanted to become an ambulance support driver to help him stay away from trouble as well as help people in need. As a result of this dream, he underwent a three-week program to become one. Nonetheless, this dream never succeeded. Needless to say, he has established a rapport with the London Ambulance Service and the organization is one of his biggest fans.
His Career Started after he Coincidentally Went to Youngers Audition
Aside from his dreams of being an ambulance driver, Kayo also wanted to become a football player. However, his journey to become a name in the industry is full of twists. According to reports, Samson Kayo got an audition for his debut role in the 2013 Youngers coincidentally.
Apparently, he had gone to pick an iron for his mother but made a detour when he discovered that an open audition for the Channel 4 comedy was ongoing. The rest they say is history and since then, he has appeared in many on-screen roles.
Notably, he gained so much popularity after his appearance in the BBC sketch show, Famalam which showcased British black comedians. Moving forward, he was cast in Timewasters among other roles.
His incredible performance has earned him lots of recognition and nominations including;
- Won Comedy performance at the Royal Television Society
- Nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance at the British Academy Television Awards-2018
- Nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance at the British Television Awards
See Also: 30 Black British Actors That Are Super Talented
The London-born is also a Writer and Producer
According to IMDB, Kayo made his writing debut in 2018 on Famalam which he also acted in. This marked the beginning of other works including the critically acclaimed Sliced which he doubled as the creator and writer. Other works he wrote include;
- Bloods 2021
- Sky Comedy Shorts (2018)
The Multi-hyphenated Entertainer is an Advocate for Acting Diversity
Due to his passion for the entertainment industry, he has also held a strong view that there should be inclusion of other ethnic minorities across different roles.
He first became interested in the black comedy aspect of entertainment after watching people like Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, and Jocelyn Jee Esien. Their impact was so great that he has become outspoken about developing this area, especially in the UK.
According to him, members of the black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups have a lot of stories to tell and they should be allowed to do this through inclusion. Considering his strong views about diversity, it is not surprising that his role in Truth Seekers was a welcome idea that will help promote conversations about racism in the horror genre.
He was Once Arrested for Carrying Sam Dodgers
The British actor cum writer once spent an acting break in the US after Covid. Howbeit, this is not the first time that entertainers have moved to different locations in the interest of their careers, his case is quite unique due to his previous experience of arrest. According to sources, he was once arrested for carrying Jammie Dodgers on one of his visits to Los Angeles.
Apparently, the actor did not allow such incidents to stop him from pursuing his dreams of becoming a sought-after entertainer. Thusly, after the COVID-19 pandemic that had put restrictions on traveling, Kayo decided to take a well-earned acting break in LA, the same city he was arrested in previously. In fact, he has since buried the past and even appeared in some Taika Waititi’s Our Flag Means Death.
