Quick Facts
Biography
Susie Youssef is an Australian comedian, writer and actor who works in television, on radio and stage in Australia and the United Kingdom. Youssef performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and Homebake.
Youssef is best known for her appearances in the television series Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia, How Not to Behave, No Activity and Rosehaven. She often uses her family name in the title of her stand-up comedy shows.
Career
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 Newtown's Enmore Theatre, which sparked a more serious interest in comedy. She quit college and Youssef attended iO Chicago where she studied improvisational performance and comedy.
Youssef 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. In 2014, Youssef played the lead role of Sarah in the Hayloft Project’s stage play The Boat People which won the Best On Stage award at the FBi SMAC Awards in 2014.
Youssef started performing improvisational comedy live. 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.
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 Youssefand made her debut on the comedy TV news quiz programme Have You Been Paying Attention?.
Live Stand-up Comedy Tours
| Year | 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
| Year | 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 |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Ronnie Johns Half Hour | Writer | 4 episodes |
| 2015 | The Chaser's Media Circus | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2015 | Community Kitchen | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | About Tonight | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | The Checkout | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2015 | Game Night | Player Number 3 | 1 episode |
| 2015 | How Not to Behave | Herself | 15 episodes |
| 2015 | We Live to Science Another Day | Susie | 1 episode |
| 2016-2017 | Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia | Herself | 5 episodes |
| 2016-2017 | Comedy Up Late | Herself | 11 episodes |
| 2016 | Here Come the Habibs | Marie | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Miles Holbeck: The Member | Sophie | 1 episode |
| 2016 | No Activity | Anousha | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | Rosehaven | Gez | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Have You Been Paying Attention? | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Get Krack!n | Egg Woman | 1 episode |
Stage
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | The Boat People | Sarah | Won the Best On Stage award at the FBi SMAC Awards in 2014 |
Hosting
In 2017, Youssef hosted season two of the comedy TV series Stand and Deliver on digital TV channel ABC Me, which featured some of the best comedic acts from Australia and overseas.
Personal life
Youssef grew up with five sisters and she often uses her family for comedy inspiration.
Youssef is a descendant of Lebanese immigrants.