'Ted Lasso' star on Nigerian characters: 'Love telling Nigerian stories'

Toheeb Jimoh spoke about playing Nigerian characters on two separate hit television shows.

Speaking to Insider, the actor said, "It's definitely a calculated thing," adding, "I'm doing it on purpose. And I love having the opportunity to tell Nigerian stories and show us in a different light."

Born in London and raised in Nigeria, the Emmy-nominated stars in the hit Apple TV+ comedy series Ted Lasso as footballer Sam Obisanya. In The Power, Jimoh essayed on the independent journalist Tunde Ojo's role.

Both series are releasing concurrently, "I didn't plan that bit," Jimoh told the outlet, adding it's "dope" to play two Nigerian characters simultaneously.

The 25-year-old also added that Nigeria was often stereotyped in cultures of American and British; he said that his roles in these popular shows would help shift the stigma from the Nigerians.

"I'd watch TV, and the way Nigerians were represented in the media had nothing to do with Nigerians. It was a very much outside eye on what my culture and my parents' culture was and looked like," Jimoh said.

"And so being able to be a part of the narrative, being able to author it in a little way, add my own sauce to it, bring all the joy and the good stuff that I've seen being on the inside of it to the screen is awesome."