Oscar-Nominated Actor Barkhad Abdi Is Broke

This isn’t a Hollywood rags-to-riches story, yet. Despite being Oscar-nominated for his role in the movie Captain Phillips, actor Barkhad Abdi is allegedly broke.

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According to the New Yorker, the actor was paid only $65,000 for his role as Muse, a Somali pirate. Captain Phillips went on to earn $210 million worldwide.

The New Yorker reports: “When Abdi is in Los Angeles to promote the film, he subsists on a per diem, good at the Beverly Hilton, where the studio likes to put him up. The town car is available only for official publicity events. His clothes are loaners. Recently Abdi requested that he be allowed to stay at a commuter hotel near LAX to be closer to his friend, a Somali cabdriver from Minneapolis, who shuttles him around for free.”

Abdi was directing music videos and driving limousines for his brother’s company in Minneapolis when he attended an open call for Captain Phillips. Abdi’s family emigrated from Somalia to Minneapolis by way of Yemen by the time he entered high school.

Captain Phillips was Abdi’s first acting role ever. He is slated to appear in The Place That Hits the Sun.

Read more at the New Yorker.