Barkhad Abdi
Birth dateApril 10, 1985 (age 41)
Birth placeMogadishu, Somalia
EducationMinnesota State University, Moorhead
OccupationActor
Years active2013–present
AwardsFull list

Barkhad Abdi (Somali: Barkhad Cabdi, bàrxád̪ ʕábd̪ì;[1] born April 10, 1985) is a Somali 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 Actor Award nominations.

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 and education

Barkhad Abdi was born to Somali Omar Mahmoud Majerten 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 emigrated to the US, settling in Minneapolis, Minnesota, home to a large Somali 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

Captain Phillips

Abdi 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

In 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 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 reunited with Captain Philips castmate Faysal Ahmed, in the second season of Castle Rock, in which 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

In 2013, Abdi was appointed as an Ambassador for Adeso, a non-governmental organisation founded by the Somali environmentalist Fatima Jibrell.[19]

Personal life

Abdi 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

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013Captain PhillipsAbduwali Muse
2015Eye in the SkyJama Farah
Wolf Who Cried BoyReggieShort film
2016GrimsbyTabansi Nyagura
2017ExtortionMiguel Kaba
Good TimeDash
Blade Runner 2049Doc Badger
The Pirates of SomaliaAbdi
2018The Extraordinary Journey of the FakirWiraj
2019A Girl from MogadishuHassan
2020Beneath a Sea of Lights[23]Caweys
2022Tyson's RunAklilu
Agent GameOmar
2025RunIsmael
TBASynthetic[24]Post-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015Hawaii Five-0Roko MakoniEpisode: "E 'Imi pono"
2016Family GuyAbduwali Muse (voice)Episode: "Road to India"
2019Castle RockAbdi Omar10 episodes[17]
2021–2022Blade Runner: Black LotusDoc Badger (voice)6 episodes
2022Little AmericaMohamedEpisode: "Camel on a Stick"
2023The CurseAbshir6 episodes
2023Carol & The End of The WorldBashiir Hassan (voice)Episode: “The Life & Times of Bashiir Hassan”

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Barkhad Abdi

References

  1. ^ "Filim Soomaali jilay oo la magacaabay" (in so). BBC News Somali. January 16, 2014. Archived May 20, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  2. ^ Reinisch, Leo. Die Somali-sprache: Texte. Vol. 1. A. Hölder, 1903.
  3. ^ "Entertainment Pop". ABCNews.com. January 21, 2014. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  4. ^ "Production Notes". The Walt Disney Company Nordic. Retrieved October 19, 2013.[dead link]
  5. ^ "Oscar nod for Minneapolis' Barkhad Abdi in 'Captain Phillips'". KARE. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  6. ^ Bertram, Colin (January 12, 2014). "2014 Golden Globes: Old Guard vs. New". NBC Bay Area. Archived January 13, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  7. ^ Ryan, Mike. "I Can't Believe I'm Doing A Scene With The Forrest Gump Guy!". HuffPost. Archived July 28, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  8. ^ "Somali-American Actor Stars in 'Captain Phillips' Movie". Voice of America. October 11, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "Captain Philips actor Abdi 'struggles' despite Oscar nomination". Independent.co.uk. March 5, 2014. Archived August 8, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  11. ^ "Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture". Golden Globe Awards. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014.
  12. ^ Rottenberg, Josh. "Oscars 2014: Barkhad Abdi reacts to his Best Supporting Actor nomination". Entertainment Weekly. Archived October 17, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  13. ^ "HAWAII FIVE-0 Recap "E 'Imi pono"". Seat42F. February 19, 2015. Archived February 23, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  14. ^ "Judd Apatow's 'Trainwreck' Casts Up: Tilda Swinton, Barkhad Abdi and John Cena Sign On". Slashfilm.com. March 18, 2014. Archived June 17, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  15. ^ Reilly, Travis (October 28, 2014). "'Breaking Bad' Star Aaron Paul Is a Conflicted Drone Pilot in 'Eye in the Sky'". TheWrap. Archived October 30, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  16. ^ "'Blade Runner 2049': Barkhad Abdi Shares New Character Details". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived January 31, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  17. ^ "Castle Rock" (Drama, Fantasy, Horror), Bad Robot, Old Curiosity Shop, Warner Bros., 2018-07-25, retrieved 2024-07-28
  18. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (April 23, 2021). "Jason Isaacs, Barkhad Abdi & Adan Canto Board Indie Spy Thriller 'Agent Game'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived April 23, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  19. ^ "Adeso Ambassador Barkhad Abdi appeals for Somali cyclone aid". Mareeg. December 6, 2013. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  20. ^ Lammers, Tim (March 5, 2014). "Report: Fresh off Oscar nomination, Barkhad Abdi 'dead broke'". Bringmethenews. Archived June 28, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  21. ^ Kerr, Euan (October 14, 2016). "A boy-and-his-dog story, with a cultural twist". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  22. ^ Marsh, Steve (February 26, 2014). "Barkhad Abdi: A Pirate's Life". Mpls St. Paul Magazine. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  23. ^ Ganglani, Poonam (July 27, 2018). "Neel Kumar's Beneath a Sea of Lights looks at an unseen side of Dubai". The Hindu. Archived October 14, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  24. ^ "Charlie Cox & Haley Bennett To Topline Sci-Fi Romance 'Synthetic'". Archived October 2, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 3, 2025.