Age: 52
male
Mahershala Ali (/məˈhɜːrʃələ/ mə-HUR-shə-lə; born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore on February 16, 1974) is an American actor. He has received multiple accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019, and in 2020, The New York Times ranked him among the 25 greatest actors of the 21st century. After pursuing an MFA degree from New York University, Ali began his career as a regular on television series Crossing Jordan (2001–02) and Threat Matrix (2003–04), before his breakthrough role as Richard Tyler in the science fiction series The 4400 (2004–07). His first major film role was in the David Fincher-directed fantasy The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). He gained wider attention for supporting roles in the final two films of the original The Hunger Games film series and in House of Cards, for which he received his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination. Ali won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances as a drug dealer in the drama Moonlight (2016) and as Don Shirley in the comedy-drama Green Book (2018). He is the first Black actor to win two Academy Awards in the same category and the second Black actor to win multiple acting Oscars. Ali won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program for executive producing We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest (2020). In 2019, he played a troubled police officer in the third season of the HBO anthology crime series True Detective, and in 2020, he starred in the second season of the Hulu comedy-drama series Ramy. He was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for both performances. Ali has also played Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes in the first season of the Netflix series Luke Cage (2016) and voiced Aaron Davis in the animated films Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023). Description above from the Wikipedia article Mahershala Ali, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Mahershala Ali
Samuel McDaniel
for Samuel McDaniel in Breaking Barriers: The Hattie McDaniel Story
Suggested by kamsismith
Hattie McDaniel, born in 1895, faced seemingly insurmountable challenges as a black woman in early 20th-century America. Despite the racial prejudices and gender discrimination of her time, she possessed an unparalleled talent for entertainment and a burning desire to succeed. The film begins with Hattie's early life in Wichita, Kansas, where her passion for performing first took root. As she navigates the vibrant world of black vaudeville and theater, Hattie's undeniable talent leads her to Hollywood, where she becomes a sought-after actress in the burgeoning film industry. But it's not all glitz and glamour; Hattie faces racism, stereotyping, and limited opportunities, even as she establishes herself as a talented character actress. The heart of the story revolves around Hattie's journey during the production of "Gone with the Wind," where she famously portrayed Mammy, a role that would earn her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. "Breaking Barriers" delves into the complexities of her decision to take on the role, the impact of her win on the industry, and the personal sacrifices she made in the face of criticism and backlash.
