The story of a war refugee who was nominated for an Oscar

Extremely talented people exist anywhere in the world, that’s a fact. And, even if it’s not always easy to go in search of a dream, you never know when a great opportunity to show your talent will arrive.

To prove that these opportunities should never be ignored, the awesome.club will tell the story of Barkhad Abdi, a young man of Somali origin who went from a war refugee to a respected actor who was even nominated for an Academy Award.

His path began in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. He was born there, on April 10, 1965. The East African nation constantly suffers from conflicts of all kinds, to the point of being considered by almost all international bodies a failed state. To this it is necessary to mention a bloody civil war that began in the nation when Abdi was just a child, in 1991. In this regard, he told the Huffington Post news website: “I witnessed the beginning of the war, which was extraordinarily insane. It became an overnight disaster.”

With few options to hope for a better future, the boy’s family emigrated to Yemen, where his father worked as a teacher. Abdi lived in that country until he was 14 years old.

The mother managed to obtain a permit to reside in the United States, and the family moved to the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, an important enclave for Somali refugees. There, she learned English thanks to television and local rap.

He even attended the University of Minnesota and worked as a DJ and limo driver. Abdi led a quiet lifestyle, but the radical change in life was about to happen.

While watching a program on local television, he learned about a casting call for a new film by filmmaker Paul Greengrass (director of The Bourne Supremacy) about the hijacking of a boat by pirates in African waters. About 700 individuals auditioned, including Abdi, who ended up getting the role of Muse, leader of the ship robbers. Such a role required a lot of preparation: it took six weeks of constant training where he learned to swim, handle weapons and even operate a boat, all to make his interpretation more authentic and convincing.

Finally, in 2013, he made his screen debut with the film Captain Phillips, beside Tom Hanks — he kept his distance from the actors of Somali origin, as the director tried not to intimidate them by sharing the set with a star. The trick seemed to work, and the press soon noticed.

The film received many recognitions, as did Abdi’s performance. Captain Phillips ended up being a success, both commercially and critically, and the young man quickly went from a complete unknown to a household name among different halls of studios. He has also given interviews on different shows, promoting his film, sharing his incredible life experience and even revealing that one of his best lines was improvised.

“You just improvised a phrase, and it soon turned into a very well-known phrase. “Are you surprised by that?” asked comedian and presenter Conan O’Brien. “I love her, I think she was good, you know? It’s a blessing ”, replied Abdi to the popularity of his words, which ended up becoming a meme.

And recognition would not take long to arrive and he was nominated for a multitude of awards, including a Golden Globe, an award from the Guild of Actors, and even won a BAFTA (the highest award in English cinema). But the highest honor on the awards circuit was being among the three nominees for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, alongside high-level actors like Bradley Cooper or Jonah Hill.

Far from considering that he had reached the pinnacle, Abdi decided to prove that this was not just a one-hit wonder career. In 2015, she participated in her second film, Risk Decision, where she collaborated alongside stars such as Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman and Aaron Paul.

Although he still does not receive the millionaire fees of more established actors, he already dedicates part of his efforts to charity. He is an ambassador for Adeso, a non-profit organization dedicated to the humanitarian struggle for development in African nations. “You must always remain humble and kind,” he said in a tweet, showing his enormous appreciation for the turn his life has taken.

This actor’s trajectory is very inspiring, don’t you think? Do you know similar stories? Comment!