MV Maersk Alabama

Barkhad Abdi, a first-time actor who plays the lead pirate in "Captain Phillips."

How a childhood in Somalia helped one guy co-star with Tom Hanks in ‘Captain Phillips’

Arts, Culture & Media

You wouldn’t wish anyone to have a childhood that started in war-torn Somalia. But in the real-life story of pirates who commandeered a US cargo ship and were pursued by US Navy SEALs, Barkhad Abdi says his few early years in Somalia helped him in his co-starring role.

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