Osamah Sami facts for kids

Osamah Sami is an actor, writer, and comedian from Australia. He was born in Iran and has Iraqi family roots. Osamah is well-known for his book Good Muslim Boy and the movie Ali's Wedding.

His book, Good Muslim Boy, won the New South Wales Premier's Literary Award in 2016. It was also praised at the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards that same year.

Osamah helped write the movie Ali's Wedding and also starred in it. Netflix bought the movie, which is a big deal! For his work on Ali's Wedding, Osamah won an Australian Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He was also nominated for Best Lead Actor. The movie won many other awards, including the Audience Award at the 2017 Sydney Film Festival.

Osamah has also been nominated for an award for his acting in a play called I Call My Brothers.

Early life and acting start

Osamah Sami was born in Qom, Iran. His parents were from Iraq. When he was a child, he acted in plays in his hometown.

Career highlights

After moving to Australia, Osamah joined a local theater group. He has been acting in plays ever since. His father wrote a play called Trial of Saddam, where Osamah played Saddam Hussein.

Osamah has worked in movies, theater, and television. He has played many main characters. In 2009, he acted with Claudia Karvan in a TV movie called Saved.

In 2023, Osamah starred in the movie Shayda with Zar Amir Ebrahimi. Shayda won the Audience Award for Best Film at the Sundance Film Festival. It also won the $100,000 CinefestOz film prize in 2023.

Osamah also helped create and write a TV show called House of Gods. It started airing on ABC TV in 2024. The show is about an imam (a Muslim religious leader) and his family. It shares stories from the Australian Arab and Iraqi community, using Osamah's own experiences.

Poetry writing

Osamah Sami writes a poetry blog. His poems are divided into four main topics: Love, Social Justice, For Dad, and War.

Awards and recognition

Osamah Sami has won several awards for his acting and writing:

• 2016 – Won, AWGIE Award, for Best Original Screenplay.
• 2016 – Won, New South Wales Premier's Literary Award, for his non-fiction writing.
• 2017 – Won, AACTA Awards, for Best Original Screenplay.
• 2017 – Won, Australian Muslim Achievement Awards, as Creative Artist of the Year.
• 2018 – Won, Film Critics Circle of Australia, for Best Screenplay.

He has also been nominated for many other awards, including:

• 2017 – Nominated, AACTA Awards, for Best Lead Actor in a Feature Film.
• 2018 – Nominated, Australian Film Critics Association, for Best Actor.

Filmography

Actor roles

Movies

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

TV shows

• 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 plays

• 2021 – Them
• 2020 – The Seagull
• 2019/20 – Anthem
• 2019 – Gilgamesh
• 2018 – Good Muslim Boy
• 2017 – The Sound of Waiting
• 2016 – Tales of a City by the Sea
• 2015 – I Call My Brothers
• 2014 – Tales of a City by the Sea
• 2014 – The Container
• 2013 – The Two Executioners
• 2012 – Transit.Origin.Destination
• 2011 – Black Box 149
• 2010 – Long Day's Dying
• 2009 – Baghdad Wedding
• 2007 – Hombody/ Kabul
• 2007 – Sinners
• 2006 – Trial of Saddam

Writer credits

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

Books

Osamah Sami wrote the book Good Muslim Boy.