Nyambi Nyambi
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Nyambi Nyambi (born April 26, 1979) is an American character actor. His most prominent role is Samuel in the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly.[1]
Early life and education
Nyambi was born in Norman, Oklahoma to Nigerian parents on April 26, 1979. He attended Oakton High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, and played Division I basketball while attending college at Bucknell University.[2] After graduating, he earned his Master of Fine Arts in acting at New York University.[3] He is also working toward a second masters' degree, from an on-line program in administrative leadership at the University of Oklahoma.[4]
Career
Nyambi took up acting in his senior year at Bucknell, and decided to attend NYU (rather than Yale, where he had also been admitted for graduate school) to pursue his acting interest.[5] He also attended the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City.[6]
He had a bit part in the independent film Day Night Day Night as Organizer. He appeared in the episode "Four Cops Shot" in the final season of Law & Order and in an independent film William Vincent alongside James Franco and Josh Lucas.
Among his stage roles have been Caliban in a 2008 Classic Stage Company production of The Tempest[7] and Alfred in a 2009 production of Athol Fugard's Coming Home at The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia.[8]
His big break came when he was cast in the sitcom Mike & Molly as Samuel, a Senegalese waiter[5] who works at Mike and Carl's favorite restaurant.
References
- ^ "Nyambi Dextrous", Los Angeles Sentinel, May 31, 2012 – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) .
- ^ Player bio at Bucknell Bison website (accessed 2012-05-07).
- ^ Profile at CBS
- ^ Heather Warlick-Moore, "Nigerian-American actor Nyambi Nyambi Sooner born and bred", The Oklahoman, May 7, 2012 (pay site).
- ^ a b Harold Raker, "Former Bucknell hoops start now a TV star", The Daily Item (Sunbury, Pennsylvania), April 14, 2012.
- ^ "Alumni Stories: Nyambi Nyambi '01", Bucknell University website, Winter 2009 (accessed 2012-05-07).
- ^ Charles Isherwood, "Music in Shakespeare’s Island Chaos", The New York Times, September 19, 2008. ("The handsome Mr. Nyambi is hardly a "misshapen" creature, and the pleading moan in his voice and his imploring eyes make a strong bid for our compassion.")
- ^ Howard Shapiro, "Fugard's bifurcated play, indulgent then compelling", Philadelphia Inquirer, October 23, 2009 ("a portrayal nailed by Nyambi Nyambi, and enhanced by the way he uses his large, sculpted hands").