Barkhad Abdi (Somali: Barkhad Cabdi, [barxad ʕabdi];[1] born April 10, 1985) is a Somali-Puntlander actor. He made his acting debut as the pirate Abduwali Muse in the biographical drama film Captain Phillips (2013), which earned him a British Academy Film Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, along with Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.
Barkhad Abdi | |
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![]() Abdi at the 2014 New York Film Festival | |
Born | |
Education | Minnesota State University, Moorhead |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2013–present |
Awards | Full list |
Following his breakthrough, Abdi appeared in the films Eye in the Sky (2015), Good Time (2017), The Pirates of Somalia (2017), and Blade Runner 2049 (2017). Outside of film, he was featured as a series regular on the second season of the Hulu horror anthology Castle Rock (2019) and a recurring role in the Showtime satirical comedy series The Curse (2023).
Early life
editBarkhad Abdi was born to Somali Putnlander parents on April 10, 1985, in Mogadishu, Banaadir, Somalia. The name Barkhad in the Somali language literally means cistern, with water representing life.[2] Around the age of six or seven, when the Somali Civil War broke out, he and his family moved to Yemen to join his father, who had taken up teaching.[3][4] In 1999, Abdi and his family relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota, home to a large Somali bantu community.[4]
He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 2003 and attended Minnesota State University Moorhead.[4] Before entering the film industry, Abdi sold mobile phones at his brother's shop at a mall in Minneapolis. He also worked as a limousine driver at a relative's chauffeur company and as a DJ.[5][6]
Acting career
editCaptain Phillips
editAbdi made his debut in the Paul Greengrass directed film Captain Phillips (2013), playing ship hijacker and pirate leader Abduwali Muse.[7][8] He was cast opposite Tom Hanks, following a worldwide search for the lead roles. Abdi and three other actors were chosen from more than 700 participants at a 2011 casting call in Minneapolis. According to the casting director, the four were selected because they were "the chosen ones, that anointed group that stuck out".[9] He was paid $65,000 for his appearance in the film and returned to working in his brother's shop afterwards.[10] For his performance Abdi earned the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also received nominations for the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor.[11] Abdi's experience in Captain Phillips was his first in the film industry.[12]
Later career
editIn 2015, Abdi appeared in an episode of the series Hawaii Five-0, playing former warlord Roko Makoni.[13] Later that year, he began work on the comedy film Trainwreck, though he did not appear in the finished film.[14] He appeared in the 2015 thriller Eye in the Sky as Kenyan undercover agent Jama Farah, and he had a role in The Brothers Grimsby.[15] In the 2017 film The Pirates of Somalia, Abdi played the Somali government-sponsored local agent and translator for Canadian freelance journalist Jay Bahadur. His character coordinates interviews between local pirate leaders and Bahadur, who records the motivations of Somali piracy in the weeks leading up to the Maersk Alabama hijacking. In October 2017, Abdi featured in Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049, in a minor role of a scientist.[16] Abdi made his directorial debut with the Somali film Ciyaalka Xaafada. He has directed several music videos.[4] In 2019, Abdi reuinted with Captain Philips cast mate, Faysal Ahmed, in the second season of Castle Rock, where he starred in 10 episodes.[17]
In 2022, he acted in the films Tyson's Run and Agent Game starring Mel Gibson and appeared in the Apple TV+ series Little America.[18] In 2023 he acted in the A24 / Showtime satirical comedy-drama series The Curse starring Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder, and Benny Safdie.
Philanthropy
editIn 2013, Abdi began to serve as an Ambassador for Adeso, a non-governmental organisation founded by the Somali environmentalist Fatima Jibrell.[19]
Personal life
editAbdi resided in Los Angeles, California as of 2014[20] and in 2016 lived in Cedar-Riverside, Minneapolis, Minnesota.[21] The bump on his forehead is from a car crash he was in prior to auditioning for Captain Phillips.[22]
Filmography
editFilm
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Captain Phillips | Abduwali Muse | |
2015 | Eye in the Sky | Jama Farah | |
Wolf Who Cried Boy | Reggie | Short film | |
2016 | Grimsby | Tabansi Nyagura | |
2017 | Extortion | Miguel Kaba | |
Good Time | Dash | ||
Blade Runner 2049 | Doc Badger | ||
The Pirates of Somalia | Abdi | ||
2018 | The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir | Wiraj | |
2019 | A Girl from Mogadishu | Hassan | |
2020 | Beneath a Sea of Lights[23] | Caweys | |
2022 | Tyson's Run | Aklilu | |
Agent Game | Omar |
Television
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Hawaii Five-0 | Roko Makoni | Episode: "E 'Imi pono" |
2016 | Family Guy | Abduwali Muse (voice) | Episode: "Road to India" |
2019 | Castle Rock | Abdi Omar | 10 episode[17] |
2021–2022 | Blade Runner: Black Lotus | Doc Badger (voice) | 6 episodes |
2022 | Little America | Mohamed | Episode: "Camel on a Stick" |
2023 | The Curse | Abshir | 6 episodes |
2023 | Carol & The End of The World | Bashiir Hassan (voice) | Episode: “The Life & Times of Bashiir Hassan” |
Awards and nominations
editReferences
edit- ^ "Filim Soomaali jilay oo la magacaabay". BBC News Somali (in Somali). January 16, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
- ^ Reinisch, Leo. Die Somali-sprache: Texte. Vol. 1. A. Hölder, 1903.
- ^ "Entertainment Pop". ABCNews.com. January 21, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Production Notes". The Walt Disney Company Nordic. Retrieved October 19, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Oscar nod for Minneapolis' Barkhad Abdi in 'Captain Phillips'". KARE. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ Bertram, Colin (January 12, 2014). "2014 Golden Globes: Old Guard vs. New". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ Ryan, Mike. "I Can't Believe I'm Doing A Scene With The Forrest Gump Guy!". HuffPost.
- ^ "Somali-American Actor Stars in 'Captain Phillips' Movie". Voice of America. October 11, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ Seavert, Lindsey (October 8, 2013). "4 Mpls. men co-star in Tom Hanks film 'Captain Phillips'". KARE. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
- ^ "Captain Philips actor Abdi 'struggles' despite Oscar nomination". Independent.co.uk. March 5, 2014.
- ^ "Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture". Golden Globe Awards. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014.
- ^ Rottenberg, Josh. "Oscars 2014: Barkhad Abdi reacts to his Best Supporting Actor nomination". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
- ^ "HAWAII FIVE-0 Recap "E 'Imi pono"". Seat42F. February 19, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "Judd Apatow's 'Trainwreck' Casts Up: Tilda Swinton, Barkhad Abdi and John Cena Sign On". Slashfilm.com. March 18, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ Reilly, Travis (October 28, 2014). "'Breaking Bad' Star Aaron Paul Is a Conflicted Drone Pilot in 'Eye in the Sky'". TheWrap. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ "'Blade Runner 2049': Barkhad Abdi Shares New Character Details". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ a b Castle Rock (Drama, Fantasy, Horror), Bill Skarsgård, André Holland, Lizzy Caplan, Bad Robot, Old Curiosity Shop, Warner Bros., July 25, 2018, retrieved July 28, 2024
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ N'Duka, Amanda (April 23, 2021). "Jason Isaacs, Barkhad Abdi & Adan Canto Board Indie Spy Thriller 'Agent Game'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ "Adeso Ambassador Barkhad Abdi appeals for Somali cyclone aid". Mareeg. December 6, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
- ^ Lammers, Tim (March 5, 2014). "Report: Fresh off Oscar nomination, Barkhad Abdi 'dead broke'". Bringmethenews. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ Kerr, Euan (October 14, 2016). "A boy-and-his-dog story, with a cultural twist". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
- ^ Marsh, Steve (February 26, 2014). "Barkhad Abdi: A Pirate's Life". Mpls St. Paul Magazine. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
- ^ Ganglani, Poonam (July 27, 2018). "Neel Kumar's Beneath a Sea of Lights looks at an unseen side of Dubai". The Hindu. Retrieved October 14, 2022.