In 2013, Barhkad Abdi shot to fame for his portrayal of a Somali pirate in the blockbuster film “Captain Phillips”.
Abdi, who starred opposite Tom Hanks, was nominated for an Oscar that same year. Despite his gripping performance, it wasn’t an easy role for Abdi to play.
“I couldn’t relate (to my character), honestly, but I could empathize with him. He was a young man lacking an opportunity who had basically grown up in a shattered country, and he saw the gun as the solution,” says Abdi.
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