BAFTA 2014 winner Barkhad Abdi: What you need to know about Captain Phillips best supporting actor winner

Captain Phillips star Barkhad Abdi has won the 2014 best supporting actor BAFTA, beating Bradley Cooper, Daniel Bruhl, Matt Damon and Michael Fassbender.

Before being cast in the role – his cinematic debut – Barkhad was a limo driver, a store worker and a DJ in Minnesota.

Born in Somalia, he moved to America with his family aged 14 – but his cinematic success would have to wait another 14 years.

Nominated for countless awards for his breakout performance – including an Academy Award at this year’s Oscars – his role as pirate Abduwali Muse has catapulted him to the top of Hollywood and his future looks to be glittering from now on.

Accepting his award from Emma Thompson tonight, Barkhad thanked his co-star Tom Hanks, his “fellow pirates” and film maker Paul Greengrass for “for believing in me before I believed in myself”.

Mirror TV readers had picked Michael Fassbender to triumph, with 40% of our vote.

Barkhad was considered fourth most likely to win, behind second place-rated Cooper and Bruhl in third.