Captain Phillips actor went back to working in brother's phone shop as he struggled to land roles after the film

The actor who starred in Captain Phillips had to go back to work in his brother's phone shop after he struggled to land another acting job.

You might think that you would be looking to the next big project after starring in a blockbuster movie with Tom Hanks.

But in the case of Barkhad Abdi, he went back to working in his brother's phone shop.

For a little while, at least.

If you don't recognise his name, you'll definitely know him from his iconic line to Hanks: "Look at me, I'm the captain now."

Abdi was nominated for a number of awards for his performance in the film, including winning a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor.

Not only that, but Abdi also ended up being nominated for an Oscar.

Describing the feeling to the BBC in 2014, he said: “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.

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“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.”

But despite his phenomenal success in what was his first film role, Abdi found it difficult to pick up further roles.

He said: “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.”

Needless to say, Abdi wasn't selling phones for long and has since gone on to have a hugely successful career in acting.

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He has taken on numerous roles since his first film, including in numerous thrillers such as Eye in the Sky (2015), Agent Game (2022), and Blade Runner 2049 (2017).

When asked how he was dealing with his newfound fame, he said: "I love film-making and acting and it's something that I'm passionate about, so I'm truly glad that it's an adventure for me.

“I'm still a beginner in this business and I'm just looking for good stories.

"It's very exciting and tiring at the same time.”

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