Mahershala Ali Wins Best Supporting Actor Oscar for ‘Moonlight’

Mahershala Ali

New dad Mahershali Ali won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the gay coming-of-gay film Moonlight.

As he took to the stage, the 43-year-old Oakland native made sure to give a special shout out to his wife Amatus Sami-Karim, the mother of his newborn daughter Bari Najma Ali, who was born on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

"I just wanna thank my wife, who was in her third trimester during awards season," he said. "We just had our daughter four days ago! I just wanna thank her for being such a soldier during this process, who really carried me through this all, so thank you."

Moonlight is up for a total of eight Oscars, just behind the heavily favored La La Land, which led all nominees heading into Sunday's ceremony with 14 nods.

The other black actors in the running for Oscars are Denzel Washington (Fences), Ruth Negga (Loving), Viola Davis (Fences), Naomie Harris (Moonlight), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures).

Photos by Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com | Valerie Goodloe/Splash News

  • klwbaby

    Congrats??

  • lil goodie

    Okay...... congrats??

  • Phyllis

    Yayyyyyyy!!!!!!????????

  • Haha

    Always gotta have the PC movie win

  • Zizzle

    The 2017 Oscar awards will likely be among the lowest rated broadcasts as viewers tune out due to the political grandstanding of spoiled celebrities.

    Drop your pacifier? ??

  • Wreckognize Game

    Yes Viola

  • Strong White Woman

    "The 2017 Oscar awards will likely be among the lowest rated broadcasts as viewers tune out due to the political grandstanding of spoiled celebrities"

    Lmao! No rest fur di wicked as my great great Haitian grandmother would say? If this broadcast turns out to be low in numbers it's because all awards shows have become low in viewership as new media has exploded. It's why the MTV-BET awards are being aired on several different networks simultaneously. Same with the Sag awards on TNT and TBS. Too much competition. Too many channels. Too many outlets. If viewership followed politics the ratings would be up much like Hillary's final tally, no???? Has nothing to do with the political beliefs of celebs. If that's the case Mel Gibson's pack of ni**ers ass wouldn't even be there? I see you alt righters though. Y'all stay ready! Like Suga Free? Victory shall be yours, like Stewie G? All alternative, truthfully #barz

  • Strong White Woman

    Couldn't even just congratulate the brotha. First she called their nominations affirmative actionish, now this? Meh, what can you do?

  • missmiami305

    I was waiting for the shade and you delivered at the very end lol

  • Erin Blockabitch
  • missmiami305

    Did she win?

  • Erin Blockabitch
  • Strong White Woman

    ???

  • Zizzle

    We can challenge her neocon BS, so the easily influenced won't get stupefied.

  • Hell_On_Heelz

    Exceptional movie. Congratulations.

  • Araminta Glissade Chaines

    Vi. O. La. Git awf my porch with that luscious sable skin dipped in rich red. You look like a painting ??????

  • KDub

    Welcome to earth Bari!

  • Araminta Glissade Chaines

    You better school em ?

  • Vonn
  • KDub

    Auto Viola is raising hell tonight in that dress

  • Wreckognize Game

    That New York Times commercial was the Truth

  • A D N

    I'm watching the Oscars. First time since 2002!

  • what?why

    Gave a very sweet and genuine acceptance speech!

  • Wreckognize Game

    Jimmy Kimmel brought this tour bus group into the Oscars and he told the black man that they were ignoring the white actors. We look for ourselves in a lot of circumstances. That kinda rubbed me the wrong way.

  • Jahnée Gill Mr.Eddie Murphy

    My name isn't Amatus Sami-Karim though. I don't recall giving birth either. Congrats babe ??

  • Jahnée Gill Mr.Eddie Murphy

    The black women on these award shows need to let us know what foundations they're wearing. I can not for the life of me find a foundation that doesn't make look dead and or like clay face. I would love to start using BB creams too but I can't find my damn shade.

  • thrift.store.jungle

    this beautiful Black man.
    ?
    congratulations

  • Alicia.Ashe

    He is soooooooo handsome. Congrats.

  • Alicia.Ashe

    He is soooooooo handsome. Congrats.

  • Michelle

    Yes!!!! Moonlight also won Best Picture. They announced LaLa Land by mistake.

  • Michelle

    Lol....???

  • Django the God

    That's my dude. He looks like he want to spit out some sour grapes though.

  • shun king

    Black men have become the face of GAY AND AIDS

  • jussaying

    My favorite foundation ever is Lancôme Teint Idole. Great coverage, its light and they have lots of shades for WOC.

  • Emily post

    Well if a black movie was going to win this would be the one for Hollywood... He is a good actor..

  • Renee26

    They mix them a lot in theater

  • TaylorFinallyMadeIt

    Going back up to ? lol

  • Empress

    Yaaas, that's my pretend Baby Daddy. I adore him as Cotton Mouth. If I ever have the chance I will call on the power of all whores, side pieces, and the Goddess of all THOTS to give me the lack of flucks, pride, and respect for relationships to risk it ALL!!

  • Being bad is way more fun

    That is such a bald face lie !!!!!

  • LibraGirlonly

    Nah, it looks that why to me. I don't know how mannnnny times I have walked out my office building and ran into me wearing lipstick. It's ridiculous. You can pull up MAC websites and you will see a black man in full makeup.

  • Emily post

    Pretty much... as long as they are acknowledged by the powers that be they won't mind what they represent.

  • shun king

    And black folks was thought that precious was such a good movie

  • Oretta Grace Smith

    Just like they do, but they can see it when others do it!!

  • Emily post

    The Hollywood Reporter reported that GLAAD has been pushing an agenda to normalize homosexuality. So once they said the Premise of the film I know GLAAD is proud they hit it out the ball park with this 1.
    I haven't watched the movie but I am sure if there is a black woman around somewhere she will be vilified and in someway tragically flawed....

  • Emily post

    What about that movie Halle Berry was in? She was a tragic mother also.

  • ?Sugar&Spice?

    He has such a cute rat face. His skin looks so delicious.

    Congrats!

  • shun king

    And it's our people that dropping like flies from HIV and these sick minded gay men giving it to black women on purpose

  • hottlanta

    A SPOLIED celebrity was elected as President. Folks saying that wanted an outsider, Yep we got one so out there he don't know how to rein himself back in. Folks said they didn't want a politician. Yep, you got that as well but you wanna complain because he doesn't know what the hell he is doing. Using the words learning curve and President in the same sentence is not compatible. Folks thought he would create jobs. He was shown to hire undocumented workers to work on his hotels and his stuff is made overseas. Folks still call him a successful businessman after filing bankruptcy 6 times and losing a billion dollars a year and yet they trust this man to make the economy grow. Folks complaining about Affleck receiving an award but yet we gave an ADMITTED sexual predator who bragged about groping women the award of being President. If folks didn't want a celebrity as President they should have never voted for one because our reality is turning into a nightmare.

  • Strong White Woman

    Girl you can't be dropping knowledge like this after the party is over? If you gone school folks, make sure class is still in session??

  • kekeb

    He looks like a cuter Future. Or Future looks like a cuter him.

  • shun king

    I think the movie was ten years a slave...why would that black women play that part getting raped by that white man..she awful i saw her on the view twerking for the whites and all

  • stanley

    And his wife is actually black too, and not White lol.. Good day for the African American Community.

  • stanley

    shut up

  • Emily post

    Hollywood is just irresponsible anyway when it comes to being sympathetic to illnesses blacks face. If its not a white person saving the day or some weirdish that nobody black and half way cultured can relate too they are not for it.

  • http://batman-news.com MzTee

    I am so trying to find the cuteness in this man that many of y'all have commented on. But, alas...I have failed. (HA!!!)

    I do agree with those who have commented he and Future resemble. They both have flat, pancake type faces.