Ali won for his portrayal of jazz pianist Dr. Don Shirley in Green Book, where he starred opposite Viggo Mortensen as Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga.
In his humble acceptance speech, Ali thanked the Academy, as well as Don Shirley for “trying to capture his essence.” He extended his appreciation to his co-star Viggo Mortensen and the film’s director Peter Farrelly for his guidance and leadership. He also dedicated his Oscar to his grandmother, who was responsible for pushing him to think positively, and to never give up.
Similar to Rami Malek, who won the Academy Award for “Best Actor,” Ali was unstoppable this award season. Ali also won the Golden Globe, the BAFTA and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards for his acting work in the film.
Speaking of Green Book, the film won two additional Academy Awards for “Best Original Screenplay” and the coveted award for “Best Picture.”
Two years ago, Mahershala Ali won the Academy Award for “Best Supporting Actor” for Moonlight.
Read More: Digital Journal reviewed Green Book.
