Susan Kathryn Youssef is an Australian writer and actor who works in television, on radio and stage. She is best known for her appearances in the television series The Project, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia, and Rosehaven, and has performed stand-up comedy at various Australian and international festivals.
Susie Youssef | |
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Birth name | Susan Kathryn Youssef |
Born | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Medium | Stand-up comedian, writer, actor, improviser |
Nationality | Australian |
Years active | 2006–present |
Genres | Sketch comedy, autobiographical comedy, improvisational comedy |
Notable works and roles | Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia How Not to Behave No Activity Rosehaven |
Website | http://www.susieyoussef.com/ |
Early life and education
editSusan Kathryn Youssef[citation needed] is a descendant of Lebanese immigrants.[1] She grew up with five sisters and she often uses her family for comedy inspiration.[2][3][4]
Youssef began comedy writing in high school, where she wrote her own plays. She began studying education, to become a teacher. A friend took her to an improvisational comedy show at the Enmore Theatre in Newtown in Sydney, which sparked a more serious interest in comedy.[5]
She quit college and attended iO Chicago, in the United States, where she studied improvisational performance and comedy.[6][7]
Career
editYoussef began her comedy career as a writer for The Ronnie Johns Half Hour in 2006, and made her acting debut in the short film Clicked in the role of Lina in 2011. In 2014, she played Jane in the short film Kevin Needs to Make New Friends: Because Everyone Hates Him for Some Reason and then turned to television, where she appeared in The Chaser's Media Circus.[citation needed]
In 2014, Youssef played the lead role of Sarah in the Hayloft Project’s stage play The Boat People.[8][9]
Youssef started performing improvisational comedy live.[10] She made her solo debut in her sketch comedy show Sketchual Chocolate at the Melbourne and Sydney Comedy Festivals. In 2015, she returned to the comedy festival circuit with her comedy show Owl Eyes On You and in 2016 made her debut in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe with her stand-up show Check Youssef Before You Wreck Youssef.[11] She is part of the Improv Theatre Sydney ensemble.[12] Youssef has also performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Homebake.[13]
In 2015, Youssef appeared in other television series including Community Kitchen, About Tonight, The Checkout and Game Night. Yousseff had recurring roles in the television comedy series How Not to Behave, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia, No Activity and Rosehaven, and a guest role in Here Come the Habibs in 2016.
In 2017, Youssef toured with her comedy show Behave Youssef.[14] In the same year, she hosted season two of the comedy TV series Stand and Deliver on ABC ME, which featured comedic acts from Australia and overseas.[15]
She has also been a guest on The Project, All Star Family Feud, Celebrity Name Game, Have You Been Paying Attention?, and Hughesy, We Have a Problem.[citation needed]
On 19 August, Youssef was named as part of the extended cast for the Australian version of The Office.[16]
Recognition
editIn 2014, Youssef won the Best on Stage award at the FBi SMAC Awards, for her role as Sarah in The Boat People.[17][8][9]
In 2020, Youssef was selected as one of ten Australian comedians to compete for $100,000 on the experimental reality television series Last One Laughing Australia hosted by Rebel Wilson and screening on Amazon Prime in June.[18][19]
Stand-up comedy tours
editYear | Title | Notes | Role |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Sketchual Chocolate | Debut solo stand-up show at the Melbourne and Sydney Comedy Festivals and Sydney Fringe Festival | Writer/performer |
2015 | Owl Eyes on You | Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Sydney Comedy Festival | Writer/performer |
2016 | Check Youssef Before You Wreck Youssef | Edinburgh Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival and Brisbane Comedy Festival | Writer/performer |
2017 | Behave Youssef | Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival | Writer/performer |
Filmography
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Clicked | Lina | Actor |
2014 | Kevin Needs to Make New Friends: Because Everyone Hates Him for Some Reason | Jane | Actor |
2016 | Scare BNB | Ksenia | Actor |
2018 | The Call Back | Sam | Actor |
Television appearances
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | The Ronnie Johns Half Hour | Writer | 4 episodes |
2015 | Game Night | Player Number 3 | 1 episode |
2015 | We Live to Science Another Day | Susie | 1 episode |
2016 | Here Come the Habibs | Marie | 1 episode |
2016 | Miles Holbeck: The Member | Sophie | 1 episode |
2016 | No Activity | Anousha | 3 episodes |
2016–2021 | Rosehaven | Gez | 10 episodes |
2017 | Get Krack!n | Egg Woman | 1 episode |
2018 | Squinters | Simoni | 6 episodes |
2021 | Making It Australia | Host | |
2023 | Deadloch | Aleyna Rahme | 8 episodes |
2024 | The Office Australia | Georgia | TV series |
Television self appearances
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Last One Laughing | Herself | 6 episodes |
2019–present | The Project | Herself | |
2018–2019 | Hughesy, We Have a Problem | Herself | 5 episodes |
2019 | Celebrity Name Game | Herself | 5 episodes |
2017 | Screen Time | Herself | 1 episode |
All Star Family Feud | Herself | 1 episode | |
2017–2019 | Have You Been Paying Attention? | Herself | 11 episodes |
2016–2017 | Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia | Herself | 5 episodes |
Comedy Up Late | Herself | 11 episodes | |
2015 | How Not to Behave | Herself | 15 episodes |
The Chaser's Media Circus | Herself | 1 episode | |
Community Kitchen | Herself | 2 episodes | |
About Tonight | Herself | 2 episodes | |
The Checkout | Herself | 1 episode |
Theatre
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | The Boat People | Sarah | Hayloft Project (Best on Stage, FBi SMAC Awards) |
2020 | Home, I'm Darling | Fran | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne |
References
edit- ^ Bennett, Steve (2 April 2015). "Susie Youssef: Owl Eyes On You". Chortle. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Neal, Fergus (16 March 2017). "Susie Youssef". Farrago. Farrago Magazine. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ Staff writer, Female First (31 August 2016). "Susie Youssef discusses her show 'Check Youssef Before You Wreck Youssef'". Female First. FemaleFirst Ltd. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ Staff writer, Short Com (14 July 2016). "Susie Youssef Q&A - Edinburgh Fringe 2016". Short Com. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Russell, Stephen A (28 March 2017). "Why Susie Youssef's Mum Told Her To Behave Herself". The Music. Street Press Australia Pty Ltd. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ Knowles, Til (8 March 2016). ""There's some funny stuff too" - Susie Youssef on loneliness, anxiety and of course, comedy". Pop Culture-y. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Staff writer, Colour Elements (15 August 2016). "CE in Conversation with Susie Youssef". Colour Elements. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ a b Peterson, Arabella (21 March 2016). "Susie Youssef". The Ladies Network. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ a b "5 Good Reasons To See Susie Youssef's Owl Eyes On You". Squirrel Comedy. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Staff writer, British Comedy Guide (15 September 2016). "Susie Youssef". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ Staff writer, Chortle (27 August 2016). "'I've been singing Kristen Schaal is a horse for 8 years - Susie Youssef picks her comedy faves.'". Chortle. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ Improv Theatre Sydney
- ^ Staff writer, Instinct Music. "Susie Youssef, comedian". Instinct Music. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Low, Lenny Ann (10 March 2017). "Inside joke: Sydney Comedy Festival stand-up stars pick their favourite act". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (23 May 2017). "Returning: Stand and Deliver". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (19 August 2024). "Airdate: The Office (Australia) | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Diab, Jasmin Lilian (5 December 2019). "This Australian actor uses her Lebanese Roots in her comic performances". 961. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (20 May 2020). "Airdate- LOL: Last One Laughing Australia". TV Tonight. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ Story, Hannah (20 May 2020). "The First Trailer for New Comedy Series LOL: Last One Laughing Promises Complete Chaos". Popsugar. Retrieved 22 May 2020.