Youssef Kerkour speaks French, Italian, and Moroccan Arabic and is truly global. He was born in Morocco attended college in the USA and currently lives in London.
Youssef is no stranger to the RSC he has appeared in several productions there including the 2012 production of The Orphan of Zhao which was directed by Greg Doran. Other RSC works include Boris Gudanov, Measure for Measure, Whispers in the Wings and Written on the Heart.
Youssef was quoted in an interview with The Rabbit and Reel:
“And Shakespeare’s greatest gift is his insight in to human nature and insights that still continue to surprise people, you know, you can read Shakespeare again and again and again you will gain new information” Kerkour answers “It’s like looking at a tip of an Iceberg, when you look at the tip of an Iceberg there’s a whole mountain underneath, that’s what his plays are like, floating tips of icebergs but there is so much underneath it and just exploring it teaches you more and more about who you are, he does that, he’s good for British Culture.”
You can also check him out in the newly released Jason Statham film Redemption, he even gets to beat him up in the film. Too bad in a later scene Jason gets his own back!
You can have a look at his showreel here:
He will be playing Lord Willoughby in Richard II.
Lord Willougby appears only briefly in Richard II. He is seen discussing the tyranny of King Richard along with Lord Ross and the Earl of Northumberland. At the end of the scene, Willoughby and Ross both agree to join Northumberland (who has just informed them that Henry Bolingbroke has returned from exile) in rebellion against the king. - shakespeareandhistory.com
"And daily new exactions are devised,
As blanks, benevolences, and I wot not what:
But what, o' God's name, doth become of this?"
As blanks, benevolences, and I wot not what:
But what, o' God's name, doth become of this?"
