Samba Schutte

Samba Dirk-Jan Schutte (born 1 February 1983) is a Dutch-Mauritanian actor, comedian, and writer.

Samba Schutte
Samba Schutte in 2018
Born (1983-02-01) February 1, 1983
Nouakchott
NationalityDutch-Mauritanian
Alma materUtrecht School of the Arts
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, writer

Biography

Schutte was born in Mauritania in 1983, the son of a Muslim Mother and Christian Dutch national. At the age of two, he moved to Ethiopia, as his father worked for a non-governmental organization. Schutte attended Sandford International School in Addis Ababa. When he was 12, his father purchased the video game Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair, and it was at this moment that Schutte decided to become an actor.[1] In 2001, he moved to the Netherlands to study theater at the Utrecht School of the Arts.[2] He visited Ethiopia for the last time in 2002.[1] Schutte also began performing at comedy clubs and joined the Comedy Explosion, a comedy collective, in 2004.[2] In 2006, Schutte won the Jury and Audience Award at the Leids Cabaret Festival. He toured the country doing comedy shows for several years.[3] Schutte was a writer and presenter for the Dutch version of "The Daily Show" known as De nieuwste show.[4]

Schutte moved to Los Angeles in 2011 to pursue comedy and acting, receiving the visa for Aliens of Extraordinary Abilities.[2] Several months after arriving in the United States, he won a competition at The Comedy Store and became a regular performer. Schutte met his wife in Los Angeles, as she was the producer for a film he was auditioning for.[1] Schutte has performed in several films, TV series, and video games, and has voice-over work for audiobooks. Schutte had a role in the 2016 film The Tiger Hunter.[3] In 2019, Schutte was cast as Hakim in the TV series Sunnyside. His character is an Ethiopian heart surgeon who works as a taxi driver in New York until he gets a better opportunity. It was the first time an Ethiopian character was portrayed on an American sitcom.[1] Schutte related to the role, as he was also an immigrant gaining a foothold in a new country.[5]

Schutte speaks four languages: English, French, Dutch and Amharic.[1] He suffers from the pigmentation disease vitiligo, but has managed to keep it under control after fearing it would be the end of his comedy career.[2]

Partial filmography[6]
  • 2009: De multi culti story as Mohammed
  • 2012: The Grind (TV series) as Samba
  • 2012: Fatal Encounters (TV series) as Rais Bhuiyan
  • 2013: Buni TV Comedy Series (TV series) as Dr. Mukakaka / Samba / Jazel Shah
  • 2015: Uitzonderlijk Vervoer (TV series) as Samba
  • 2015: Separated as Samba
  • 2015: Borderline (TV series) as Brian
  • 2016: Buddy Solitaire as Arash
  • 2016: The Tiger Hunter as Kareem
  • 2017: Je Maintiendrai as Samba
  • 2018: Stellar Hosts (TV series) as Doug
  • 2019: Sunnyside (TV series) as Hakim
  • 2020: She's in Portland as Steve
  • 2021: 9-1-1 (TV series) as Saleh
  • 2022-2023: Our Flag Means Death (TV series) as Roach

Accolades
Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2022 Peabody Awards Entertainment Our Flag Means Death Nominated [7]

References
  1. "Meet Samba Schutte: Hollywood Actor, Comedian, Writer Who Grew Up in Ethiopia". Africans in America. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  2. "Meet Samba Schutte in Los Feliz". Voyage LA. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  3. "Dutch Comedian Samba Schutte On Life in America". USA Euros. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  4. "Habits for Success the Podcast: Episode 1 - Actor and Comedian Samba Schutte". Mango Publishing. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  5. "Hollywoodrol nog wat onwerkelijk voor Samba Schutte". Panorama (in Dutch). 9 August 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  6. "Samba Schutte Filmogrophy". IMDB. Retrieved 27 Apr 2022.
  7. Voyles, Blake (September 20, 2023). "83rd Peabody Award Nominees". Retrieved September 20, 2023.
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