Ramy Youssef

Ramy Youssef Bio

Ramy Youssef (born March 26, 1991) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. He is best known for his role as Ramy Hassan on the Hulu comedy series Ramy, a show he also created and writes. His work has earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy, a Peabody Award, and nominations for multiple Primetime Emmy Awards.

Youssef is widely recognized for his distinctive storytelling about the experiences of a first-generation Muslim-American navigating faith, family, and identity in contemporary America. He has built a versatile career that spans stand-up comedy, television, and film, and he continues to develop new projects through his production company, Cairo Cowboy.

Early Life and Background

Ramy Youssef was born in 1991 in Queens, a borough of New York City, to Egyptian parents. Ten years after emigrating from Egypt, his father became a manager at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Youssef was raised in a Muslim household, observing Islamic holidays, and he remains a practicing Muslim.

Youssef grew up in Rutherford, New Jersey, and attended Rutherford High School, where he and his friend Steve Way appeared on their high school television program. In 2023, he was honored as the Distinguished Graduate recipient by his high school. He speaks Arabic and English, and his maternal grandfather was a French and Arabic interpreter at the United Nations.

He went on to study political science and economics at Rutgers University–Newark, but he left before graduating to enroll at the William Esper Studio to focus on acting. In 2025, he received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University and delivered the institution’s commencement speech.

Path to Comedy and Writing

Youssef began performing stand-up comedy in 2009, building his voice on the local circuit. His early experience in the New York and New Jersey comedy scene helped him sharpen the personal, narrative-driven style that would later define his television work.

He made his acting debut on the Nick at Nite sitcom See Dad Run, in which he had a main role. During the run of the show, Youssef shadowed the writers’ room, an experience he would later bring to his own show. In 2017, he appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he performed his stand-up routine, marking one of his earliest national television appearances.

These early roles and performances allowed Youssef to develop a distinct perspective grounded in his Egyptian-American background and his faith. They also laid the foundation for him to create a series that would translate his stand-up sensibility into long-form storytelling on the screen.

Ramy Youssef Career

Early Career (2009–2018)

Youssef launched his career in stand-up comedy in 2009 and steadily grew his reputation through performances in clubs and on the road. His early years in comedy were shaped by a willingness to draw directly from his life as a first-generation Muslim-American, a choice that gave his material a recognizable point of view.

His first significant on-screen role came on the Nick at Nite sitcom See Dad Run, where he was part of the main cast. The experience gave him exposure to the rhythms of a multi-camera sitcom and to the workings of a professional writers’ room. By 2017, his stand-up had reached a national audience through an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, signaling a transition from club performer to broader public figure.

Breakthrough (2019–Present)

Youssef’s television series Ramy debuted on Hulu on April 19, 2019, with 10 episodes. The show, in which he plays the title character, follows a millennial first-generation Muslim-American born to immigrant parents in the United States. Soon after its first season debuted, Hulu renewed it for a second season, and the series would go on to run for three seasons.

In June 2019, Youssef starred in his first HBO stand-up comedy special, Ramy Youssef: Feelings, expanding his profile beyond scripted television. That same year, he signed an overall television production deal with A24, and as of December 2019, he had two additional shows in development, one for Apple TV+ and one for Netflix.

In 2021, he was nominated for another Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for his work on Ramy. The third season of Ramy premiered in the United States on September 30, 2022. He is also the co-creator, alongside Mo Amer, of Mo, an American comedy-drama streaming television series that premiered on August 24, 2022, on Netflix.

In 2023, Youssef toured his comedy show “More Feelings” and announced that proceeds from the final 12 nights would raise funds for Gaza through American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA). On December 8, 2023, the “More Feelings” show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), which donated all proceeds from ticket sales to ANERA, drew headlines when celebrities including Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez attended.

Youssef had his first major movie role in the 2023 film Poor Things, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. On March 30, 2024, he hosted Saturday Night Live, and in August 2024, it was announced that he was entering into a partnership with Netflix to develop serialized first-look projects through his production company Cairo Cowboy.

Notable Works and Milestones

Youssef’s signature work is the Hulu series Ramy, which he created, writes, and stars in, and which won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy and a Peabody Award in 2020. He also co-created the Netflix series Mo, released his HBO special Feelings, toured the comedy show “More Feelings,” appeared in the 2023 film Poor Things, and hosted Saturday Night Live. These projects established him as a significant creative voice across stand-up, scripted television, and film.

Ramy Youssef Award Nominations

Youssef has received multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations and additional Golden Globe nominations across his career. His nominations recognize both his on-screen performance and his work behind the camera, reflecting the range of his contributions to contemporary comedy.

Ramy Youssef Awards Won

Youssef has won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for his leading role in Ramy, and the series itself received a Peabody Award in 2020. These honors cemented his reputation as a leading comedic performer and storyteller of his generation.

Ramy Youssef Family

Youssef was born in Queens, New York City, to Egyptian parents, and he was raised in a Muslim household. His father emigrated from Egypt and eventually became a manager at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. His maternal grandfather was a French and Arabic interpreter at the United Nations.

Personal Life

Youssef has been married to a visual artist from Saudi Arabia since 2022. He met his wife through May Calamawy, his co-star in Ramy. He is private about his personal life and has chosen not to disclose his wife’s personal details publicly.