Mahershala Ali

Biography

Mahershala Ali, born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore on February 16, 1974, is a distinguished American actor celebrated for his versatility and depth. Over his acclaimed career, Ali has garnered numerous awards, including two Academy Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a Primetime Emmy. In 2019, Time magazine recognized him as one of the world's 100 most influential people, and The New York Times honored him in 2020 as one of the 25 greatest actors of the 21st century.

Ali earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University and began his acting journey with roles in television series such as Crossing Jordan (2001–02) and Threat Matrix (2003–04). His breakout came with the character Richard Tyler in the sci-fi series The 4400 (2004–07). His film debut was in David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), followed by notable performances in the final installments of The Hunger Games franchise and the political drama House of Cards, earning his first Emmy nomination.

Ali's Oscar wins for Best Supporting Actor came for his roles as a drug dealer in Moonlight (2016) and musician Don Shirley in Green Book (2018), making him the first Black actor to receive two Academy Awards in that category. He also executive produced We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest (2020), winning an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program. In recent years, he starred in HBO's True Detective and Hulu's Ramy, earning further Emmy nominations. Ali's notable roles also include Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes in Luke Cage and voicing Aaron Davis in the animated Spider-Man films.