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IMDbPro

Mahershala Ali

  • Actor
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,000689
Mahershala Ali
The extraordinary journey of pioneer activist and basketball prodigy Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Play trailer1:50
Stand (2023)
79 Videos
99+ Photos
Mahershala Ali is fast becoming one of the freshest and most in-demand faces in Hollywood with his extraordinarily diverse skill set and wide-ranging background in film, television, and theater.

He can be seen in the independent feature film, Moonlight, as well as reprising his role in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Gary Ross's civil war era drama The Free State of Jones, and Netflix's award-winning series House of Cards as well as Marvel's Luke Cage.

Ali's previous feature film credits include Derek Cianfrance's The Place Beyond the Pines, Wayne Kramer's Crossing Over, John Sayles' Go For Sisters, and David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Again on television, he appeared opposite Julia Ormond in Lifetime's The Wronged Man for which he subsequently received an NAACP Nomination for Best Actor. Ali also had a recurring role on Syfy's Alphas, as well as the role of Richard Tyler, a Korean War pilot, on the critically acclaimed drama The 4400 for three seasons.

On the stage, Ali 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. His additional stage credits include appearing in Washington, D.C. at the Arena Stage in the title role of The Great White Hope, and in The Long Walk and Jack and Jill. In February 2016, Ali made his New York Broadway debut in Kenny Leon's Smart People.

Born in Oakland, California and raised in Hayward, Ali received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications at St. Mary's College. He made his professional debut performing with the California Shakespeare Festival in Orinda, California. Soon after, he earned his Master's degree in acting from New York University's prestigious graduate program.
BornFebruary 16, 1974
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornFebruary 16, 1974
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,000689
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 2 Oscars

Mahershala Ali: From "4400" to 'Green Book'

Mahershala Ali: From "4400" to 'Green Book'

Mahershala Ali is perhaps best known for his performances in "House of Cards" and Moonlight, and has been nominated for his second Oscar for Green Book. What other roles has he played?
Watch now
Image caption not available
3:58

Photos367

Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali in Green Book (2018)
Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali in Swan Song (2021)
Julianne Moore, Robin Williams, and Mahershala Ali in What to Watch (2020)
Mahershala Ali in No Small Parts (2014)
Stephen Dorff, Brett Cullen, and Mahershala Ali in True Detective (2014)
Aaron Sorkin and Mahershala Ali in The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015)
Stephen Dorff and Mahershala Ali in True Detective (2014)
Mahershala Ali in True Detective (2014)
Mahershala Ali in True Detective (2014)
Mahershala Ali in True Detective (2014)
Mahershala Ali in True Detective (2014)
Mahershala Ali in True Detective (2014)

Known for

Kevin Spacey in House of Cards (2013)
House of Cards
8.7
TV Series
  • Remy Danton
Mike Colter in Luke Cage (2016)
Luke Cage
7.3
TV Series
  • Cornell 'Cottonmouth' Stokes
Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7.8
  • Tizzy(as Mahershalalhashbaz Ali)
  • 2008
Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, and Eva Mendes in The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
The Place Beyond the Pines
7.3
  • Kofi
  • 2012

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Leave the World Behind
    • Post-production
  • Blade
    • Pre-production
  • The Plot
    • Pre-production
  • Wildwood
    • (voice)
    • In Production
  • Mahershala Ali in Swan Song (2021)
    Swan Song
  • Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, and Lia McHugh in Eternals (2021)
    Eternals
    • (voice, uncredited)
  • J.K. Simmons and Steven Yeun in Invincible (2021)
    Invincible
    • (voice)
  • Ramy (2019)
    Ramy
  • Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in True Detective (2014)
    True Detective
  • Jennifer Connelly, Christoph Waltz, Mahershala Ali, Eiza González, Rosa Salazar, Ed Skrein, and Keean Johnson in Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
    Alita: Battle Angel
  • Room 104 (2017)
    Room 104
  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
    Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
    • (voice)
  • Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali in Green Book (2018)
    Green Book
  • Dan Marino, Mahershala Ali, Scott Porter, James Roch, and Michael Young in Madden NFL 18: Longshot (2017)
    Madden NFL 18: Longshot
  • Florin Piersic Jr. and Corneliu Ulici in Comrade Detective (2017)
    Comrade Detective
    • (voice)
  • Chanté Adams in Roxanne Roxanne (2017)
    Roxanne Roxanne
  • Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Mahershala Ali, Glen Powell, Jim Parsons, and Janelle Monáe in Hidden Figures (2016)
    Hidden Figures
  • Mike Colter in Luke Cage (2016)
    Luke Cage
  • Natasha Lyonne, Mahershala Ali, and Laura Harrier in The Realest Real (2016)
    The Realest Real

Producer

  • The Plot
    • Pre-production
  • Mahershala Ali in Swan Song (2021)
    Swan Song
    • (produced by, p.g.a.)
  • We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest (2020)
    We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos79

Mahershala Ali | Career Retrospective
Clip 1:57
Mahershala Ali | Career Retrospective
How the MCU Might Meet the Mutants
Clip 3:24
How the MCU Might Meet the Mutants
Where Blade Could Make His Debut in Phase Four
Clip 4:21
Where Blade Could Make His Debut in Phase Four
2019 Golden Globes Big Winners
Clip 3:20
2019 Golden Globes Big Winners
IMDbrief: What You Missed in the 'Spider-Verse'
Clip 2:50
IMDbrief: What You Missed in the 'Spider-Verse'
'Kicks': Flaco
Clip 1:24
'Kicks': Flaco
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clip 0:40
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clip 1:03
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clip 1:33
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clip 0:43
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clip 1:02
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clip 1:01
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Personal details

Edit
    • Instagram
    • February 16, 1974
    • Oakland, California, USA
    • Amatus Karim AliJune 27, 2013 - present (1 child)
  • Other works
    While at NYU, 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".
  • Publicity listings
    • 3 Interviews
    • 4 Articles
    • 4 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Received his Master of Fine Arts degree in Drama from the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University (2000).
  • Quotes
    'Mahershala' is my nickname.
    • Deep smooth voice

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