Jacob Sampson

Jacob Sampson (born 1988) is a Canadian actor, playwright and theatre director from Nova Scotia.Morgan Mullin, [https://www.thecoast.ca/arts-music/jacob-sampson-announced-as-associate-artistic-director-of-2b-theatre-company-28665359 "Jacob Sampson announced as associate artistic director of 2b Theatre Company"]. The Coast, May 19, 2022. He is most noted for his play Chasing Champions, a dramatization of the life of boxer Sam Langford.Brad Wheeler, "Chasing Champions and the bittersweet science of prize fighting". The Globe and Mail, November 14, 2018.

Background

Born and raised in Coldbrook, Nova Scotia,Tara Thorne, [https://www.thecoast.ca/arts-music/fall-arts-chasing-champions-by-ships-company-theatre-17602411 "Fall Arts: Chasing Champions by Ship’s Company Theatre"]. The Coast, September 20, 2018. he graduated from the theatre program at Acadia University in 2011. He subsequently appeared in stage performances in Halifax, notably including roles in George Elliott Clarke's Africville at Alderney Landing,Elissa Barnard, "Africville from the beginning". Halifax Chronicle-Herald, September 19, 2014. and William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare by the Sea.Elissa Barnard, "Love and power over women; Thought-provoking take on Shrew doesn't gloss over misogyny". Halifax Chronicle-Herald, July 12, 2014.

''Chasing Champions''

Sampson's original concept had been to write a play about the more famous Canadian boxer George Dixon, but he shifted to writing about Langford, with whom he was previously not familiar, after repeatedly coming across Langford's name in his research. Chasing Champions premiered in 2016 at the Ship's Company Theatre in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, and was remounted later in the year at Halifax's Eastern Front Theatre."Award-winning play touring the province". Halifax Chronicle-Herald, October 12, 2018.

The production won six awards at the Robert Merritt Awards in 2017, including wins for Sampson in both Outstanding Actor and Outstanding Play by a Nova Scotian Playwright. The play subsequently underwent a wider tour in 2018, including a production at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.Lynn Saxberg, "Chasing Champions is a knockout". Ottawa Citizen, November 16, 2018.

Subsequent career

He won a second Robert Merritt Award for Outstanding Actor in 2020, for his performance in Shauntay Grant's The Bridge.Morgan Mullin, [https://www.thecoast.ca/news-opinion/heres-everyone-who-won-at-theatre-nova-scotias-merritt-awards-this-week-23792856 "Here's everyone who won at Theatre Nova Scotia's Merritt Awards this week"]. The Coast, April 1, 2020.

In 2021 his short theatrical monologue Umoja Corp was performed as part of Obsidian Theatre's 21 Black Futures web series.Brooklyn Currie, [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/21-black-futures-nova-scotia-playwrights-1.5926306 "2 Halifax playwrights share their visions of the future of Blackness"]. CBC News Nova Scotia, February 24, 2021.

In 2022 he was named associate artistic director of Halifax's 2b Theatre Company.

He has also acted in film and television, including guest appearances in Haven, Seed, Sex & Violence, Trailer Park Boys and Diggstown. In 2024 he had his first leading role in a film, as Sam in Kevin Hartford's comedy film To the Moon.Liam Lacey, [https://www.original-cin.ca/posts/2025/3/27/canadian-film-fest-elbows-up-goes-to-the-movies "Canadian Film Fest: Elbows Up Goes to the Movies"]. Original Cin, March 27, 2025.