Mahershala Ali is an Academy Award-winning American actor and rapper best known for his outstanding performances in movies Moonlight (2016) and Green Book (2018). The actor also released two studio albums back in 2006 and 2007.
Personal Life
Early Life
Born back in 1974 in Oakland, from father Philip Gilmore and mother Wilicia Goines, Mahershala Ali was first known as Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore. Born and raised as a Christian, Mahershala Ali changed his religion to Islam in 2000 as he felt it’s the best one that fits his beliefs.
He began his education at SMC, California as a basketball scholarship student but quickly changed his orientation to acting as soon as he realized how schools treat their student-athletes.
Relationships
Mahershala Ali is a happily married man and enjoys his marriage duties. He shares his life with a fellow actress and musician, Amatus Sami-Karim. Two successful public figures have a lovely daughter named Bari Najma Ali, born back in 2017.
Career
Mahershala Ali got an apprenticeship at the California Shakespeare Theater soon after he graduated from SMC. After getting enough experience to chase his acting career, he signed up for NYU’s acting program, where he earned his master’s degree.
After numerous agents and producers asked him politely to do something about his quite long first name, Mahershalalhashbaz accepted the advice to shorten his name to something much easier to pronounce.
He decided that he was comfortable shortening his current name rather than changing it completely. His best-known acting roles are in the Netflix hit series House of Cards portraying Remy Danton and the portrayal of Colonel Boggs in The Hunger Games.
His most recent work made him even more famous with the younger generations. Playing as Dr. Don Shirley in Green Book and Juan in the Moonlight, he gained many new followers that will continue to follow his future work with a dose of excitement.
Mahershala Ali successfully released two rap albums back in 2006 and 2007, which gave him a glimpse into the world of music production. Even though both albums had enough quality to put his name on the music charts in the future, Mahershala Ali realized that he is happier pursuing his acting career where he felt he had more ambition and talent.
His next steps in the movies industry will be in producing, where he sees himself as a man for the job.
Filmography
Mahershala Ali has quite a few titles behind his name. His work includes movies:
- Making Revolution (2003)
- Umi’s Heart (2008)
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
- Crossing Over (2009)
- Predators (2010)
- Predators: Moment of Extraction (2010)
- The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
- Go for Sisters (2013)
- Supremacy (2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
- Kicks (2016)
- Free State of Jones (2016)
- Moonlight (2016)
- Hidden Figures (2016)
- Roxanne Roxanne (2017)
- Green Book (2018)
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
- Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
Discography
As mentioned above, Mahershala Ali has two studio albums behind his name:
- Corner Ensemble (2006)
- Curb Side Service (2007)
In the News
Mahershala Ali’s recent attempt to enter the world of movie production testifies to his multi-talented personality, which helped him to reach the stars throughout his career. Having so many movie and TV series titles, he feels that he has much to offer to other talented actors well on their way to mimic at least a part of his successful career.
His first attempt will be in the upcoming drama film Swan Song, in which he plays the main role but also produces it. Fans eagerly wait to see his next masterpiece and if he will be as successful as a producer as he is acting.
After Swan Song, he will play in the next Marvel’s portrayal of one of the best-known characters, Blade, expected somewhere in the year 2023. It looks like Mahershala Ali has everything figured out, as he continues to deliver some of the finest acting in the industry while keeping his personal life well under control with an amazing wife and daughter by his side.
An actor with a resume like this one deserves all the credits given backed by a never-ending list of achievements and rewards.
