10 Unknown Actors Who Stole Movies Out From Their Famous Leads

2. Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)

Stole The Movie Out From: Tom Hanks From limo driver to Oscar nominee, Barkhad Abdi's story is worthy of a film in its own right. It takes a considerable actor to make their debut alongside Tom Hanks and completely own the film, and that is precisely what Abdi did in Captain Phillips. Paul Greengrass' butt-clenching sea epic about a band of pirates hijacking an American cargo ship is gripping and tense from the first moment to the last, with no small thanks to the Somali actor's performance. The first time Captain Phillips encounters the antagonist is a wonderful example of subtle power-play; the two main stars coming face-to-face in a battle of nerves. Abdi is wild-eyed and terrifying; mocking Phillips and seemingly in control. But as the story progresses, we see him as so much more. Along with his co-stars, he presents the Somali pirate as a human-being; three-dimensional and desperate. He allows himself the dream of a better life that lies waiting in America, while depicting the slummy environments of Somalia's coastal region. We don't know what the future holds for Barkhad, but if Captain Phillips is anything to go by, he may just be an exciting prospect.