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
Luther Vandross
for Luther Vandross in Unbreakable Soul: The Teddy Pendergrass Story
Suggested by kamsismith
"Unbreakable Soul: The Teddy Pendergrass Story" is a compelling and authentic portrayal of the iconic artist's life, taking audiences on a rollercoaster journey through the highs and lows of his career and personal life. From his early days as a church choir singer to becoming the lead vocalist of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes and later, a solo sensation, Teddy's story is one of ambition, talent, and perseverance. The film delves into Teddy's struggles with fame, the pressures of the music industry, and his complex relationships with those who helped shape his career, including Harold Melvin and his manager, Shep Gordon. But at the heart of this biopic is the love story between Teddy and his wife, Joan Pendergrass, who stood by him through thick and thin, offering unwavering support and love. The pivotal moment in Teddy's life occurs when a tragic car accident in 1982 leaves him paralyzed from the waist down, threatening to end his career and shatter his spirit. Yet, the film takes us on a journey of Teddy's remarkable resilience and determination as he defies all odds to make a triumphant comeback, proving that his soul and voice remain unbreakable.
