One of Tom Hanks’ co-stars ended up working at his brother’s phone shop after making it big in Hollywood, as he struggled to secure other film roles.
Barkhad Abdi starred in 2013 flick Captain Phillips, which told the true story of the titular character as he battled a hijacking of a US ship by Somali pirates, based on the real event in 2009. It was the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.
Abdi played one of the main characters in the film, pirate Muse. But shortly after the film wrapped, he was forced to go to work at his brother’s phone shop. He confessed: “I decided after the movie; I had made up my mind that I wanted to be an actor but there were no jobs for me at the time because I didn’t have any other experience and the film wasn’t out so I decided to work with my brother rather than stay at home.”
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He earned $65,000 for the role but still went to work at the T-Mobile shop in a Minneapolis mall, as there were reportedly no bonuses for the film’s success – grossing $55million internationally. Before making it big in the film industry, he also worked as both a DJ and a limo driver.
(Image: Getty Images for Collide Distribution)
His lack of upcoming roles came despite winning a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor and being nominated for an Oscar. He told the BBC in 2014: “It was surreal, being nominated. The film already had a lot of talk when it came out, it was received well and we were happy and it was good that people were saying good stuff.
“Then the nomination came and I wasn’t expecting it, it was truly humbling and I was honoured. I was watching live, I couldn’t sleep that night thinking about it. My little sister called me and then I called my mum. My sister was just screaming.”
(Image: Hopper Stone, SMPSP)
The actor was “broke” after the film, and reportedly rented a tuxedo for the Oscars ceremony. The Daily Mail reports the star stayed at a cheaper hotel close to LAX airport so a friend could drive him to and from awards ceremonies for free.
The New Yorker reported at the time: “When Abdi is in Los Angeles to promote the film, he subsists on a per diem, good at the Beverly Hilton, where the studio likes to put him up. The town car is available only for official publicity events.
“His clothes are loaners. Recently Abdi requested that he be allowed to stay at a commuter hotel near LAX to be closer to his friend, a Somali cabdriver from Minneapolis, who shuttles him around for free.”
(Image: Columbia Pictures)
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He admitted to ABC News: “I’m not big into buying stuff, I’m a simple guy. I bought a car, not that big name of a car, a Saab. I’m not into big name stuff.”
Thankfully things soon picked up for the star and he was able to quit the shop to star in projects like Blade Runner 2049, Carol and the End of the World and Castle Rock. His latest project has been playing Abshir in new black comedy series The Curse, alongside Emma Stone.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
