Mahershala Ali just became the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar
Last night’s Academy Awards was full of firsts, including Mahershala Ali’s historic win for Best Supporting Actor.
Along with Mahershala’s win for Best Supporting Actor, Moonlight also picked up the gongs for Adapted Screenplay and the prestigious Best Picture, despite a bit of a kerfuffle where La La Land was initially announced as the winner.
However, Mahershala Ali’s win wasn’t just amazing because of the role that he played in Moonlight, but because he is now the first Muslim actor to EVER win an Academy Award.
While Mahershala’s speech at the SAG Awards touched on his faith, the actor kept his Oscars speech pretty a-political, instead thanking his teachers and professors for helping him hone his craft.
Mahershala Ali thanks his wife, celebrates newborn daughter during #Oscars acceptance speech https://t.co/LOhkJ3ZP65 pic.twitter.com/BFToiQdsKl
— ABC News (@ABC) February 27, 2017
“I want to thank my teachers, my professors, my so many wonderful teachers. One thing that they consistently told me… Ron van Lou, Ken Washington, said it wasn’t about you. It’s not about you. It’s about these characters,” he said. “You are a servant. You’re in service to these stories and these characters and I’m so blessed to have had an opportunity. It was about Juan, it was about Chiron, it was about Paula…it was just such a wonderful experience.”
Getting visibly emotional, Mahershala also thanked Moonlight director Barry Jenkins, before turning his attention to his wife, who recently gave birth to their first child.
“I just want to thank my wife, who is in her third trimester during award season. We just had our daughter four days ago,” he said. “I just want to thank her for being such a soldier through this process and [for] really carrying me through it all. So, thank you, really appreciate it. Peace and blessings.”
With his Best Supporting Actor victory for MOONLIGHT, Mahershala Ali is the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar.
— Vulture (@vulture) February 27, 2017
We couldn’t be happier for Mahershala Ali. Not only is this win 100% deserved (his role in Moonlight is pretty darn special), but it’s also so nice to see someone who is both black and a Muslim take the stage and be honored for their hard work and talent. What’s more, we’re sending Mahershala and his wife ALL our congratulations!
