Sam Richardson (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sam Richardson
Richardson in January 2019
Born	(1984-01-12) January 12, 1984 (age 41) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation	Actor comedian writer producer
Years active	2004–present
Known for	Veep Detroiters The Afterparty Velma

Sam Richardson (born January 12, 1984) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is famous for playing funny characters in popular TV shows.

You might know him as Richard Splett in the political comedy series Veep or as Aniq in the mystery-comedy show The Afterparty. He also co-created and starred in the show Detroiters with his friend Tim Robinson. Richardson is also the voice of Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in the animated series Velma.

For his role as the billionaire Edwin Akufo in the show Ted Lasso, he won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2023.

Early Life and Education

Sam Richardson was born in Detroit, Michigan, on January 12, 1984. His mother is from the country of Ghana in Africa, and his father is African-American.

Growing up, Richardson and his parents would travel to Ghana every year. His grandfather was a chief and a respected political leader there. His aunt, Barbara-Rose Collins, was the first black woman from Michigan elected to the United States Congress, which is a major part of the U.S. government.

Richardson went to the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy and graduated in 2002. He then studied acting at Wayne State University.

Acting Career

Comedy Beginnings

Richardson started his comedy career at a famous theater group called Second City, first in Detroit and later in Chicago. This group is known for training comedians in improvisation, which is acting without a script. He became known for playing many different and funny characters.

Major Television Roles

After moving to Los Angeles, Richardson began appearing in many TV shows. One of his most famous roles was Richard Splett in the HBO comedy Veep. The show is about the life of a fictional Vice President of the United States. His character was so popular that he became a main cast member.

In 2017, he co-created and starred in Detroiters for Comedy Central. In the show, he and Tim Robinson play best friends trying to run an advertising agency in their hometown of Detroit. The show was inspired by the local TV commercials they watched as kids.

More recently, he starred in the Apple TV+ series The Afterparty, a murder mystery where each episode tells the story from a different character's point of view. He also played the powerful and funny billionaire Edwin Akufo in Ted Lasso, a role that won him an Emmy Award.

Voice Acting and Film

Richardson is also a talented voice actor. He has lent his voice to characters in animated shows like Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, BoJack Horseman, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. He is the voice of Norville, also known as Shaggy, in the series Velma.

He has also appeared in many movies, including Hocus Pocus 2, where he played Gilbert, the owner of a magic shop. Other films he has been in include We're the Millers, Ghostbusters, and The Tomorrow War.

Selected Filmography

Here are some of the movies and TV shows Sam Richardson has been in.

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations