Who Plays Sam Obisanya Dad Ola Obisanya In Ted Lasso?

Actor Nonso plays Toheeb Jimoh's father Ola in the AppleTV sitcom, his character appeared on the 7th episode on season 3
Actor Nonso plays Toheeb Jimoh's father Ola in the AppleTV sitcom, his character appeared on the 7th episode on season 3( Source : instagram )

Actor Nonso Anozie plays Sam Obisanya dad Ola Obisanya in Ted Lasso. Ted Lasso season 3 episode 7 aired on April 26, 2023.

Nonso was introduced in the sports comedy series Ted Lasso's season 3 episode 7. He played the role of Sam Obisanya father Ola Obisanya

Ted Lasso is an American sitcom based on characters and formats from NBC Sports. The main cast of Ted Lasso includes Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Toheeb Jimoh, and Juno Temple.

The series is developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt and Joe Kelly. To date, it has received an 8.8/10 rating on IMDB and 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The AppleTV drama first premiered on August 14, 2020. Its first season had ten episodes which was a massive hit. Following the success of season one, AppleTV renewed for its second and third seasons, respectively.

The second season of Ted Lasso aired on July 23, 2021, while the third season premiered on March 15, 2023.


Who Is Sam Obisanya Dad In Ted Lasso?

Sam Obisanya dad Ola Obisanya is played by an English actor Nonso Anozie. He played merchant Xaro Xhoan Daxos on Game of Thrones.

The character Sam on the AppleTV sitcom is played by actor Toheeb Jimoh. He is an English actor with Nigerian roots born on April 15, 1997, in Brixton, London, United Kingdom.

As of 2023, Toheeb Jimoh is 26 years old. The actor started his career at a young age and has worked in several films and series, including-

  • The Power (TV series)
  • Anthony (Film)
  • The French Dispatch
  • The Feed (British TV series)

In the AppleTV sports comedy, Jimoh plays the role of Sam Obisanya. Sam is a football player who started as a defender but was converted into a midfielder by coach Ted Lasso.

Actor Anozie played the role Xaro Xhoan Daxos, a wealthy merchant from Qarth
Actor Anozie played the role Xaro Xhoan Daxos, a wealthy merchant from Qarth( Source : instagram )

Sam is optimistic and loves visiting Karakoe and clubs with his friends. Apart from football and parties, Sam loves his girlfriend Rebecca Welton. His lady love Welton is the owner of the AFC Richmond.

Besides, he also has a sweet spot for his father Ola. Often, Sam is seen appreciating Coach Ted while referencing his father. The father and son duo share a beautiful bond which is apparent by their mutual admiration.

Everything went smoothly until Sam decided to work on the Dubai Air ad campaign. Per the series, the parent company of Dubai Air was the perpetrator of environmental exploitation in Nigeria.

Ola was mad that his son didn't care for the environment and decided not to support his son. As mentioned above, the father and son duo share a sweet and sour relationship which is hilarious at times and emotional at others.

Fun Fact: Sam Obisanya was named after actor Sam Richardson because they are friends in real life. Sam Richardson is an actor known for playing Edwin Akufo in the same series.

Meet Actor Nonso Anozie

Ola Obisanya actor Nonso Anozie was born in London, United Kingdom, on November 17, 1978. He stands at the height of Height. 6′ 6″ (1.98 m).

Initially, in the mid-2000s, Nonso started his acting career by playing minor roles as Think Tank in Guy Ritchie's film RocknRolla and Frank Mace in Joe Wright's Atonement. 

Then, he got a lead role in a 2008 British drama Cass, recreating the life of football hooligan Cass Pennant. Besides acting, Anozie has worked in radio too. He portrayed the role of Joe in 2011 on Edna Ferber's Show Boat.

Nonso was nominated for 2022 British Academy Television Awards for Best Supporting Actor
Nonso was nominated for 2022 British Academy Television Awards for Best Supporting Actor( Source : instagram )

Nonso Anozie Ted Lasso is the talk of the town. He played Ola in the series and is greatly appreciated for his performance in the sports drama.

Per Wikipedia, Nonso and his former partner welcomed their son Micah on 5th June 2019. 

Apart from acting and radio, Anozie has worked in video games too. His videogame are

  • Dirty Bomb
  • Remember Me
  • Brink
  • The Golden Compass

Additionally, Nonso is a BAFTA Award nominee who has won Ian Charleson Awards and Children's and Family Emmy Awards for outstanding supporting performances.

Also, his work in the CBS series Zoo and the Netflix series Sweet Tooth is widely appreciated.

Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 7 Recap

Ted Lasso season 3 episode 7 “The Strings That Bind Us" is one of the most anticipated episodes this season. The episode finally introduces Sam's father Ola.

Two of the main factors in this episode were Sam's restaurant's inauguration and his father's impending visit. While Sam awaited his father's arrival, the ongoing political clash took a toll on his new restaurant.

Per the episode, many refugees were attempting to enter England. This attempt was highly criticised, and one of the savage politicians tried to sabotage the opening of the thriving Nigerian restaurant.

He gushed over the refugees demanding them to return, which created a chaotic scene in Sam and his friend's life. This scene angered Sam's co-worker, who chose Twitter to revolt against the situation.

Sam and Colin aka Billy Harris(left) and Toheeb Jimoh are of the prominent cast of the AppleTV sports comedy drama
Sam and Colin aka Billy Harris(left) and Toheeb Jimoh are of the prominent cast of the AppleTV sports comedy drama( Source : instagram )

Once they started tweeting about the politician, their situation worsened. Sam tried to stop the whole ordeal, but it was already late.

As a result, the new Nigerian restaurant suffered a massive loss as it was trashed and vandalized using racial slurs. This heartbreaking racial injustice broke Sam's heart and became frantic and uncontrollable.

Thank God, his father appeared at the right time to care for his son. Ola hugs his son and offers some consoling words.

Do Ola Obisanya Sam Obisanya plan for revenge? What will be the fate of the Nigerian restaurant? Watch the remaining series of episodes to discover the consequences of this episode on AppleTV.

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