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
Shawn Carter
for Shawn Carter in Destined for Stardom: The Destiny's Child Story
Suggested by kamsismith
"Destined for Stardom" opens with a glimpse into the childhood dreams and aspirations of three young girls growing up in Houston, Texas. Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle each possess unique talents and an unshakable desire to make their mark on the world through music. The film explores their individual struggles and the serendipitous moment when destiny brings them together to form Destiny's Child. As they embark on their musical journey, the group faces numerous obstacles, including the challenges of fame, intense industry competition, and personal sacrifices. However, their unwavering sisterhood and remarkable resilience propel them forward, resulting in chart-topping hits, sold-out concerts, and a worldwide fanbase. "Destined for Stardom" doesn't shy away from the group's moments of vulnerability and the personal trials that tested their unity. The film also highlights their groundbreaking achievements, such as becoming the best-selling girl group of all time, pioneering the empowerment anthem "Survivor," and Beyoncé's evolution into a global superstar.
