Osamah Sami facts for kids

Osamah Sami is an Australian stage and screen actor, writer, and stand-up comedian, born in Iran of Iraqi origin. He is known for his book Good Muslim Boy, and the film Ali's Wedding.

Good Muslim Boy, was the winner of the 2016 New South Wales Premier's Literary Award, and was commended at the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards that same year.

Sami co-wrote and starred in Ali's Wedding, which was acquired by Netflix. His work earned him an Australian Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as well as a nomination for Best Lead Actor. This was mirrored at the 2018 Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards in 2018, where it won Best Script, and Sami was nominated for Best Male Lead. His script also received an Australian Writers' Guild Award in the Best Original Film category. The film won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 2017 Sydney Film Festival, and was the winner of The Age Critics Prize at Melbourne International Film Festival. Ali's Wedding was also awarded the $100,000 CinefestOz film prize in 2017.

Osamah has also been nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Male Performer in a Lead Role for Melbourne Theatre Company's I Call My Brothers.

Early life and education

Osamah Sami was born in Qom, Iran, to Iraqi parents. He was cast in several roles on stage in his hometown as a child .

Career

After immigrating to Australia, he began working with a local theatre group and starred in many productions from then on. The play Trial of Saddam, where he played Saddam Hussein, was written by his father. In 2005 he was part of a theatre group that was prevented from entering the United States to perform the play.

He has since gone on to work regularly in film, theatre, and television. He has been cast in several leading roles. In 2009 he played opposite Claudia Karvan in the telemovie Saved, directed by Tony Ayres. He also played the lead role in the award-winning Dee McLachlan comedy feature, 10 Terrorists. His guest roles include TV shows including East West 101, Rush, Sea Patrol, City Homicide, Jack Irish, and a regular role in the TV series Kick.

His theatre appearances include Belvoir St. Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre Company, and La Mama.

Sami starred opposite Zar Amir Ebrahimi in the 2023 film Shayda. Shayda was the winner of the Audience Award for Best Film after premiering as the 2023 opening night film at Sundance. It was also selected as the opening night film at Melbourne International Film Festival, and went on to win the 2023 CinefestOZ $100,000 film prize.  

Sami co-created and co-wrote a television drama series called House of Gods, which aired on ABC TV and ABC iview from 25 February 2024. The drama centres around an imam and his family as well as the Australian Arab / Iraqi community he leads, with Sami using his own real-life experiences to tell the story of the community of which he is a part.

Poetry

Sami writes a poetry blog, with four main categories: Love, Social Justice, For Dad, and War.

Awards and nominations

• 2016 – Winner, AWGIE Award, Best Original Screenplay
• 2016 – Winner, New South Wales Premier's Literary Award, Non-Fiction Writing
• 2016 – Highly Commended, Victorian Premier's Literary Award, Non-Fiction Writing
• 2016 – Nominated, Green Room Award, Best Lead Actor
• 2016 – Nominated, L.A Web Fest Outstanding Comedy Series
• 2017 – Nominated, AACTA Awards, Best Lead Actor in a Feature Film
• 2017 – Winner, AACTA Awards, Best Original Screenplay
• 2017 – Winner, Australian Muslim Achievement Awards, Creative Artist of the Year
• 2017 – Winner, Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Award, Best Web Series
• 2018 – Nominated, Australian Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay
• 2018 – Nominated, Australian Film Critics Association, Best Actor
• 2018 – Winner, Film Critics Circle of Australia, Best Screenplay
• 2018 – Nominated, Film Critics Circle of Australia, Best Actor

Filmography

Actor

Feature films

• 2023 – Shayda
• 2023 – Tennessine
• 2020 – The Furnace
• 2017 – Ali's Wedding
• 2016 – Journey
• 2012 – 10 Terrorists
• 2009 – Saved
• 2007 – Lucky Miles

TV work

• 2024 - House of Gods as Isa
• 2022 – Savage River as Salim
• 2016 – Jack Irish as Hadji Adhib
• 2015 – Two Refugees and a Blonde as Sami
• 2011 – Sea Patrol as Salem Shokor
• 2010 – City Homicide as Hanif Durrani
• 2010 – Rush as Hazrat
• 2009 – East West 101 as Latif
• 2008 – Canal Road as Michael Young
• 2007 – City Homicide as Kasim Al-Basri
• 2007 – Kick as Sharif Doumani

Stage

• 2021 – Them (Arts Centre Melbourne)
• 2020 – The Seagull (La Mama Theatre)
• 2019/20 – Anthem (Melbourne Arts Festival/ Perth International Arts Festival/ Sydney Arts Festival)
• 2019 – Gilgamesh (Arts House)
• 2018 – Good Muslim Boy (Malthouse Theatre/ Queensland Theatre)
• 2017 – The Sound of Waiting (Brown's Mart Theatre, Darwin)
• 2016 – Tales of a City by the Sea (La Mama Theatre) – remount/ tour
• 2015 – I Call My Brothers (Melbourne Theatre Company)
• 2014 – Tales of a City by the Sea (La Mama Theatre)
• 2014 – The Container (Big West Festival)
• 2013 – The Two Executioners (La Mama Theatre)
• 2012 – Transit.Origin.Destination (A.P.E Sydney)
• 2011 – Black Box 149 (La Mama Theatre)
• 2010 – Long Day's Dying (La Mama Theatre)
• 2009 – Baghdad Wedding (Belvoir St. Theatre Company)
• 2007 – Hombody/ Kabul (Theatre @ Risk)
• 2007 – Sinners (La Mamma Theatre)
• 2006 – Trial of Saddam (A.A.G)

Writer

• Tennessine (Feature Film)
• The Clearing (TV Series)
• Good Muslim Boy (Stage)
• Ali's Wedding (Feature Film)

Books