July 30, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Actor Barkhad Abdi (of “Captain Phillips” fame) Wraps Production on New Project

Actor Barkhad Abdi, known for his Oscar-nominated turn playing opposite Tom Hanks in 2013’s “Captain Phillips,” has wrapped production on a new project, and it’s one with special meaning for him.

“America; I Too,” a video meant to educate undocumented immigrants on what to do if arrested and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was put together by the L.A.-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and started production on the same day President Trump signed an executive order to deny entrance to the United States to anyone from the seven countries of Iraq, Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia.

Abdi signed up for the project unaware that two of the places he lived — Somalia and Yemen — would be included in the ban. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, on April 10, 1985, Abdi earned wide acclaim for his first film role in “Captain Phillips” and has also been cast in the highly anticipated “Blade Runner” reboot. The son of a teacher, he fled to Yemen with his family at the age of seven after the 1991 civil war erupted in Somalia. Abdi stayed in Yemen until he was 14, when winning a green card lottery allowed his family to move to a Somali neighborhood in Minneapolis.

“We need to help each other just as we all need help at one time or another” Abdi said. “I wanted to do this project because while this information might be helpful to some people, someday I may need help too. You can’t abandon what’s right just because you may not be the person being affected at the time.”

Directed by Anike Tourse, “America; I Too” tells three interconnected stories about immigrants arrested under different circumstances and follows their journeys through the system, illustrating the different ways in which one can be arrested and the different things that can happen depending on how one responds. It will be dubbed into several languages and distributed as widely as possible.

CHIRLA executive director Angelica Salas said the film is being given “an expedited release given the current political climate.”

The film will be available on Oscar night, Feb. 26, on multiple streaming platforms.

Barkhad Abdi

Related Posts

Westchester Del Rey Stuns Tucson With 11-Run Inning to Reach World Series

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Westside Team Heads to Greenville, North Carolina to Compete for Glory  Westchester Del Rey Little League is headed to the...

Tsunami Advisory Issued for Los Angeles Coast After 8.7 Quake Near Russia

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Strong Currents, Surges Expected; Residents Urged to Avoid Beaches and Harbors Update from NWS Los Angeles at 6:50 a.m. “Latest...

Brazen Wheel Thieves Hit Beverly Grove, Hollywood Neighborhoods

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Early-Morning Thefts Leave Cars on Blocks; Residents Coordinate  Los Angeles police are investigating a growing number of wheel thefts reported...

UCLA Agrees to $6.1 Million Settlement Over Alleged Discrimination During Campus Protests

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Faculty Group Argued Protest Wasn’t Antisemitic; Judge Approval Still Pending UCLA will pay more than $6 million to settle a...

Fiesta La Ballona Returns to Culver City With Rides, Food, and Family Fun

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Discounted Unlimited Ride Wristbands Now Available Online Fiesta La Ballona is set to return to Veterans Memorial Park on August 22–24,...

Man Arrested After Threatening Westwood Village Ambassadors With a Blade

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

LAPD Says Suspect Wielded Box Cutter Near Weyburn and Glendon Authorities arrested a man Sunday afternoon following a confrontation in...

Felony Charges Dropped for Man in UCLA Encampment Attack After Diversion Deal

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Malachi Marlan-Librett Must Complete Therapy, Anti-bias Training in Hate Crime Case The only person charged with a felony in connection...

Homecare Company Celebrates 14 years of Compassion While Planting New Roots After January Fire

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Luxe Homecare, a leading provider of compassionate and reliable in-home care services for seniors has recently announced the opening of...

Wallis Annenberg, Visionary Philanthropist and Civic Leader, Dies at 86

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Philanthropist Expanded Foundation’s Reach From Arts to Conservation Wallis Annenberg, a prominent philanthropist and longtime leader of the Annenberg Foundation,...

Second Grenade Still Missing After Blast That Killed Three LA Sheriff’s Detectives

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Only One Grenade Exploded; The Second Device Has Vanished Authorities said Friday that one of two grenades recovered last week...

More Than $50 Billion in Damage: What January’s Wildfire Cost the City of Los Angeles

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Nearly 11,000 Properties, Many in Pacific Palisades, Affected; True Losses Likely Higher Nearly $52 billion in residential real estate across...

Award-Winning Beverly Hills Villa Lists for $39.9 Million in Celebrity-Filled Enclave

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Limestone Showpiece Hits Market in the Flats, From Acclaimed Architect Tucked in the heart of Beverly Hills Flats, a limestone-clad...

(Video) A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

For More Information, Go to Aplustree.com A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles For More...

Residents Paint DIY Crosswalks Around West LA Park to Slow Speeding Drivers

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Neighbors Say Safety Comes First, But City Crews Remove Safety Feature Fed up with what they call years of city...

The Third Place Reinvented: Why Kavahana Is Becoming LA’s New Favorite Hangout Spot

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

In a city full of coffee shops that close too early and bars that don’t cater to the sober (or...