Conversations with Mahershala Ali (2017)

A career retrospective with Mahershala Ali, SAG Award Nominee for Moonlight, from January 12, 2017.

Moderated by Jenelle Riley, Variety.

The summer after his graduation, Mr. Ali made his professional debut performing for a season with the California Shakespeare Festival in Orinda, California, where he also served as an apprentice. Soon after, he was accepted into graduate school at New York University, where he received a Master’s degree in acting. While at NYU, he appeared in productions of Blues for an Alabama Sky, The School for Scandal, A Lie of the Mind, A Doll’s House, Monkey in the Middle, The Merchant of Venice, The New Place, and Secret Injury, Secret Revenge. In Washington, D.C. he starred at the Arena Stage in the lead role of The Great White Hope; and in Minneapolis, he starred at the Guthrie Theater and in A Long Walk and Jack and Jill.

Mr. Ali made his television debut with a recurring role as Dr. Trey Sanders on the drama series Crossing Jordan. He subsequently landed a starring role as Richard Tyler, a Korean War pilot, on the sci-fi drama The 4400, which ran for four seasons.

He starred in the title role, opposite Julia Ormond, in The Wronged Man, earning an NAACP Image Award nomination. Following recurring roles on Treme and Alphas he continued to impress audiences on House of Cards.

His many film credits include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Predators, Crossing Over, Supremacy,  Go for Sisters, The Hunger Games, Free State of Jones and Kicks.

He is currently nominated for a SAG Award for his role in Moonlight and can also be seen in Hidden Figures.