If you’ve watched Ted Lasso then you are very aware of Toheeb Jimoh, and his lovable character Sam Obisanya. Now, following the success of the Apple TV+ series, he’s adding a new character into his filmography as he plays Tunde, a Nigerian journalist in Amazon Prime’s The Power. So, considering both his shows are airing at the moment, and Tunde is a journalist, I obviously had to ask the actor how he’d cover AFC Richmond a la Trent Crimm, The Independent.
While chatting about The Power, Jimoh explained how Tunde has a role in every part of the story. Throughout Season 1, his character is the person who ties the stories of six different women together by reporting on their power and how they have been affected by it. Considering the press plays a fairly large role in Ted Lasso too, I decided to ask the actor what topics he thought his character would gravitate toward if he was sent to cover AFC Richmond, and here’s what he said:
I hadn’t even thought about that. I think it'd be a welcome relief, you know, to be in the AFC Richmond world. It's a completely different world to the world that he unfortunately has to live in. But what kind of questions I think he would ask? I think he probably have questions for Ted. Like Ted's type of manhood and masculinity is so different to the examples of men that Tunde’s had [in his life]. And so I think that curiosity will probably be focused more toward Ted, and I think it'd be trying to eke out as much of the Lasso way as he possibly could. I mean, I think that’d the angle.
He is right, covering AFC Richmond would definitely be a little less stressful than covering a world-altering event like Tunde does in The Power. However, much like how the discussion around intersectionality and feminism in The Power is vital, the conversations surrounding masculinity and mental health in Ted Lasso are equally meaningful, and that’s why Jimoh would be drawn to them.
The Lasso Way is 100% something worth covering. Since Season 1, fans have been enamored by the football-turned-football coach, his unconventional coaching methods, and his optimistic outlook. Plus, as the seasons progressed it became clear that the entire cast of Ted Lasso had been positively impacted by this character’s unique outlook on life. To get to the center of why Ted is the way he is, and how his perception of masculinity, manhood and success positively impacts his team and viewers would be fascinating, and I think Tunde should take that on.
As you can see Toheeb Jimoh is all over the 2023 TV schedule right now, playing interesting characters on both shows who are worthy of their own stories. To see The Lasso Way for yourself, and to see Jimoh as the ray of sunshine that is Sam, you can stream new episodes of Ted Lasso’s third season every Wednesday with an Apple TV+ subscription. As for The Power, you can watch the actor as the globetrotting journalist Tunde every Friday with an Amazon Prime subscription.
