Barkhad Abdi was born on 10 April 1985, in Mugadishu, Banaadir, Somalia. He is a director and actor, best known for his film debut in “Captain Phillips”. He has received numerous award nominations for his roles including an “Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role”, and “Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture”. He has also won a BAFTA Award, and all his efforts have helped put his net worth to where it is today.
How rich is Barkhad Abdi? As of mid-2016, sources estimate a net worth that is at $100,000, mostly earned through his career in acting. Aside from films, he’s also started to appear in television series, and recently started in directing, so far a film and several music videos. It is still relatively early in his film career and as he continues with it, his wealth is expected to increase.
Barkhad Abdi Net Worth $100,000
Due to the Somali Civil War, Abdi’s family moved to Yemen when he was six years old. Then in 1999, they migrated to Minneapolis, Minnesota USA where the family had found a Somali community. He attended Minnesota State University Moorhead, and then worked at his brother’s shop selling mobile phones. He also worked as a DJ and a limousine driver before finding a career in acting.
In 2013, Barkhad made his film debut in “Captain Phillips” opposite Tom Hanks. Prior to being cast for the film, he had to audition with 700 other participants in a 2011 casting call. He and three other actors were selected by the casting director, and he would get the role of the pirate leader Abduwali Muse. It’s known that some of the most memorable lines he delivered in “Captain Phillips” were improvised, and the film would become very successful, and his performance would bring him to the spotlight – he won a BAFTA Award for his performance, aside from six other awards, and also received several other nominations. He was paid $65,000 for the job, which boosted his net worth significantly. After the film, he returned to work at his brother’s store once more.
Barkhad received more opportunities,including scripts for various television shows. Abdi moved to Los Angeles in hopes of continuing his acting career, and since then he has made a guest appearance in “Hawaii Five-0” as the former warlord Roko Makoni. He also became a part of the film “Trainwreck” although he did not appear in the finished version. In 2015, he played Jama Farah in the movie “Eye in the Sky” which stars Aaron Paul and Helen Mirren, and then became involved in directing work with the film “Ciyaalka Xaafada”.
Aside from his career, Abdi is known for philanthropic work. He became an Ambassador for Adeso, an environmental NGO.
For his personal life, he keeps any relationship private. It is known that Barkhad still resides in Los Angeles. In one interview, he mentioned that he witnessed the start of the Somali Civil War, and was unable to attend primary school because of it.
Full Name
Barkhad Abdi
Net Worth
$100,000
Date Of Birth
April 10, 1985
Place Of Birth
Mogadishu, Somalia
Profession
Actor, Film director, Film Producer, Chauffeur, Disc jockey
Education
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Nationality
Somali-American
Nicknames
Barkhad Abdinasir Abdi
Facebook
Twitter
IMDB
Awards
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role,Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor
Movies
"Captain Phillips" (2013), "Eye In The Sky" (2015), "The Brothers Grimsby" (2016), "Hawaii Five-0" (2015), "Family Guy" (2016),"Extortion" (2016)
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Trademark
1
Skeletal figure and pronounced front teeth
Title
Salary
Captain Phillips (2013)
$65,000
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Quote
1
When I was leaving Yemen to come to America, things were tough. My dad had just been laid off, and it was a challenge. When I lived in Yemen, I thought America was a perfect place. Everything was bigger and better. I dreamed big. The American dream, you know? You have to work hard for your dream to come true.
2
What I believe will make my acting career successful going forward is hard work. I like to challenge myself. Then it's the people I meet and choosing the projects I want to work on correctly. There's a lot of characters I can play.
3
I was never interested in becoming an actor. I was directing videos. I was never into acting. I was into shooting music videos. I've only ever been behind the camera. Never in front of it.
4
I used to play football all the time. In the U.S., people don't play football, so I had to learn basketball. Looking back, that's what I like about my life - doing new things, having a new perspective.
5
When you work with a great director, you realise you are far from being a director.
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I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds of films, dramas, romance. I'll watch comedies. I like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle. I'd like to meet them.
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It is weird. A lot of people try to ask me political questions. I'm not a politician.
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I left Somalia when I was seven years old, but I witnessed a whole year in a war.
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I just want to keep acting and better my craft and see how far it goes.
10
I would DJ pool parties in Minneapolis, but I never swam there!
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I don't see myself only as a Somali character. I think of myself as an actor, and if the job fits me and I like the story, I will go for it.
12
I was lucky enough to have parents that took me out from country to country and go to school and learn how to be a better person.
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Fact
1
Formerly worked with his brother in a mobile phone store and also as DJ.
2
Is one of four children. He has two brothers and a sister. He is the second oldest.
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His father is a teacher.
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Was working as a chauffeur when he was cast in Captain Phillips (2013). He had no previous acting experience or any aspirations to become an actor.
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When he was seven years old, his family moved from Somalia to Yemen to escape the civil war. His family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota when he was age 14.
