Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips

When Barkhad Abdi was cast in Paul Greengrass' biographical drama about the real-life hijacking of the Maersk Alabama, Captain Phillips was envisioned purely as a Tom Hanks vehicle. Few would have expected a first-time actor to deliver as memorable a performance as Barkhad Abdi did, but the Somalian actor did more than that. The rookie actor held his own with the veteran Oscar-winning actor and in many eyes stole the show, best exemplified with his iconic line, “Look at me, I’m the captain now” that has permeated as a meme in popular culture. The role of Somali pirate Muse would gain the new actor critical praise with Best Supporting Actor nominations at both the Golden Globes and Academy Awards.