Abdi was a limousine driver before finding fame with his role of a Somali pirate in the Tom Hanks starrer. The 29-year-old actor is a strong contender for the Oscar gold this Sunday.
The historical drama is based on the famous South African marathoner Willie Mtolo who competed in the 1992 New York Marathon, reported the Hollywood reporter.
The story revolves around Mtolo and Ray de Vries, a Caucasian bar owner, whose unlikely friendship transcended apartheid South Africa.