In the 2017 film "The Pirates of Somalia", Abdi played the Somali government-sponsored local agent and translator for Canadian freelance journalist Jay Bahadur. His character coordinates interviews between local pirate leaders and Bahadur, who records the motivations of Somali piracy in the weeks leading up to the Maersk Alabama hijacking. In October 2017, Abdi featured in Denis Villeneuve's "Blade Runner 2049," in a minor role of a scientist. Abdi made his directorial debut with the Somali film "Ciyaalka Xaafada", and he has also directed several music videos.