Mahershala Ali’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

Mahershala Ali’s best movies and TV shows showcase an incredible career that has already seen so much success. Ali is an American actor who made his on-screen acting debut as a recurring character on the police procedural Crossing Jordan. Following roles on CSI and The 4400, Ali landed his first movie role opposite Brad Pitt in David Fincher’s Best Picture nominated The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Before long, it was hard for Hollywood to deny Ali’s incredible talent.

Ali cemented himself as one of the most exciting actors in Hollywood, being a two-time Oscar winner for Moonlight and Green Book, two movies that showcase the very different sides of his talents. Ali continues to have an exciting career with big projects on the horizon, including Jurassic World Rebirth and the long-awaited, much-delayed MCU movie Blade. However, the best movies and TV shows of Ali’s career also show how much the actor has accomplished.

10

Luke Cage (2016)

As Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes

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Luke Cage

TV-MA
ActionSuperheroDrama

Release Date

September 30, 2016

Showrunner

Cheo Hodari Coker

Writers

Cheo Hodari Coker

Franchise(s)

Marvel

Cast

  • Headshot Of Frank Whaley In The premiere of 'The Good Cop'

    Frank Whaley

  • Headshot Of Theo Rossi In The 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards

    Theo Rossi

  • Headshot Of Mahershala Ali In The 96th Annual Oscars

    Mahershala Ali

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Luke Cage is part of the Netflix Marvel tv series slate and follows the titular character in Harlem who fights crime to protect his neighborhood. After an experiment goes wrong, Luke Cage becomes imbued with superhuman strength and skin as hard as diamonds. Falsely convicted and on the run, Luke uncovers an underground syndicate that looks to exploit the residents of Harlem. To protect them, Luke will come out of hiding to stop them, hoping to clear his name in the process.

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Many fans might have forgotten that Mahershala Ali was already in the Marvel universe in a villainous role. After appearing in a supporting role in Jessica Jones, Mike Coulter’s Luke Cage got his own Netflix Marvel series that took a look at this iconic street-level hero who took on crime and corruption in his neighborhood. The chief villain he faced off with was the local crime boss known as Cottonmouth (Ali).

Ali could have played the role of a typical villain, but he manages to bring so many different layers to the character, making him sinister, charming, vulnerable, and one of the standout aspects of the series. Coulter stepped confidently into the lead role in this intense and violent comic book show. It remains to be seen if Luke Cage will ever appear in the MCU and if Coulter will get to reprise the role.

9

House Of Cards (2013-2016)

As Remy Danton

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House of Cards

TV-MA
Drama

Release Date

2013 – 2017

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Beau Willimon

Directors

Beau Willimon

Writers

Beau Willimon

Cast

  • Headshot Of Kevin Spacey In The Orange British Academy Film

    Kevin Spacey

    Frank Underwood

  • Headshot Of Michel Gill

    Michel Gill

    Claire Underwood

  • Headshot Of Robin Wright

    Robin Wright

    Gillian Cole

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Based on the novel of the same name by Michael Dobbs, House of Cards follows unscrupulous politician Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) as he makes ruthless attempts to further his career. When he’s passed over for an appointment as Secretary of State, Underwood decides to get ahead by any means necessary. His talent for manipulation and pragmatism sees him climb the political ladder despite his total lack of moral fiber.

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After working with David Fincher on one of Ali’s first movies, the acclaimed filmmaker took him along on Fincher’s first collaboration with Netflix, directing several episodes of House of Cards. The series stars Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood, an ambitious and ruthless politician who, after being passed over as the presumed pick for Vice President, begins his methodical mission of revenge and to secure an even higher seat of power.

Ali played Remy Danton, an intelligent and suave Washington player who gradually becomes one of Frank’s most important allies. Ali excelled in the supporting role, showing how he can be so captivating and steal the show from even established stars. House of Cards ended in quite a lot of controversy, but those early seasons made for some of the most thrilling moments in television and a completely gripping story.

8

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008)

As Tizzy

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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

PG-13
DramaRomanceFantasy

Release Date

December 25, 2008

Runtime

166 minutes

Director

David Fincher

Writers

Eric Roth

Cast

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    Faune Chambers Watkins

  • Headshot Of Brad Pitt In The Babylon Premiere

    Brad Pitt

  • Headshot Of Julia Ormond

    Julia Ormond

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Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button stars Brad Pitt as the titular character, a man who seemingly ages backward. Born with the appearance and aliments of an old man, the story follows Benjamin Button’s life as he slowly de-ages, chronicling his love story with a woman named Daisy. Cate Blanchett, Mahershala Ali, and Taraji P. Henson also star. 

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In his first feature film, Mahershala Ali found himself working with an acclaimed director and a huge movie star in a Best Picture nominee. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is directed by David Fincher and stars Brad Pitt as a man who is born as an old man and gradually ages backward. The movie follows his extraordinary life with this strange condition and the woman he falls in love with along the way.

Ali has a supporting role as Tizzy, a cook at a nursing home where Button is raised who becomes one of the many mentors Benjamin has in his life. The movie is a romantic and bittersweet story that takes a look at a life from a different perspective. Pitt was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the lead role, while Fincher was nominated for Best Director.

7

True Detective (2019)

As Wayne Hays

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True Detective

TV-MA
DramaMysteryCrime

Release Date

January 12, 2014

Network

HBO Max

Showrunner

Nic Pizzolatto

Directors

Cary Fukunaga

Writers

Nic Pizzolatto

Cast

  • Headshot Of Matthew McConaughey In The 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

    Matthew McConaughey

    Rust Cohle

  • Headshot Of Colin Farrell In The Los Angeles Press Day For Apple TV+'s 'Sugar'

    Colin Farrell

    Ray Velcoro

  • Headshot Of Mahershala Ali In The 96th Annual Oscars

    Mahershala Ali

    Wayne Hays

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True Detective is an anthology series exploring intricate criminal investigations through multiple timelines. Each season examines dark personal and professional secrets revealed during the course of solving complex cases, highlighting the impact of crime on individuals both within and outside the law enforcement community.

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Following in the footsteps of Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, and Colin Farrell, Mahershala Ali took on the lead role in the third season of True Detective. The anthology series has explored a new cast and a new case with the only connection being they are all stories of the complex detectives investigating these crimes. Ali plays Wayne Hays, a detective investigating the disappearance of two young girls with the story being told across three different timelines.

It is a truly underrated performance in Ali’s career, as he is able to disappear into Hays at each very different stage of his career and life in 1980, 1990, and 2015. While True Detective ​​​​​​season 3 seems to be the one that is talked about the least, it is a stirring crime genre that is elevated by Ali in the lead role.

6

Leave The World Behind (2023)

As George G.H. Scott

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Leave the World Behind

R
DramaMysteryThriller

Release Date

December 8, 2023

Runtime

141 Minutes

Director

Sam Esmail

Writers

Sam Esmail

Cast

  • Headshot Of Julia Roberts in the Los Angeles Premiere Of ‘Ticket To Paradise'

    Julia Roberts

  • Headshot Of Mahershala Ali In The 96th Annual Oscars

    Mahershala Ali

  • Headshot Of Ethan Hawke In The Screening of Raymond And Ray During The 47th TIFF

    Ethan Hawke

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A family’s getaway to a luxurious rental home takes an ominous turn when a cyberattack knocks out their devices, and two strangers appear at their door.

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Mahershala Ali joined some other big stars in what ended up being one of Netflix’s most-watched movies of all time. Leave the World Behind is a thriller that stars Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as a couple looking to escape their life in the city with a brief getaway to a rental property in a rural area. However, their peaceful vacation is cut short when the property owner (Ali) arrives looking for shelter as he claims a nationwide catastrophe is happening outside their isolated world.

Ali is the standout of the cast, with his character George G.H. Scott filled with secrets but also grounded as a real person with real motivations. The movie is an edge-of-the-seat ride that grips the audience from the beginning and builds the tension with every new reveal about what is happening.

5

Hidden Figures (2016)

As Colonel Jim Johnson

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Hidden Figures

PG-13
Drama

Release Date

December 25, 2016

Runtime

127 Minutes

Director

Theodore Melfi

Writers

Theodore Melfi, Alison Schroeder

Cast

  • Headshot of Taraji P. Henson

    Taraji P. Henson

  • Headshot Of Octavia Spencer In The 55th Annual NAACP Image Awards

    Octavia Spencer

  • Headshot Of Janelle Monae

    Janelle Monae

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Based on the lives of Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, Hidden Figures tells the untold stories of the three African-American mathematicians and their work at NASA during the Space Race of the 1960s. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe star as Johnson, Vaughan, and Jackson respectively, with a further cast that includes Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, and Mahershala Ali.

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In the same year Ali appeared in the Best Picture winner Moonlight, he also appeared in the cast of another Best Picture nominee. Hidden Figures tells the true story of the African American women who were instrumental to the early days of NASA’s space mission, even if they were not given the credit they deserved. At the center of the story is mathematician Katherine Goble (Taraji P. Henson), whose work was ground-breaking and trailblazing.

Ali has a supporting role as Jim Johnson, a military man who eventually becomes Katherine’s husband. Hidden Figures is an inspiring and crowd-pleasing period drama that features an incredible cast, including Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kirsten Dunst, Glen Powell, and Kevin Costner. Though the movie does play around with the facts of the story, it is an ode to the unsung women in NASA’s history.

4

The Place Beyond The Pines (2012)

As Kofi

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The Place Beyond the Pines

pg-13
DramaThriller

Release Date

April 18, 2013

Runtime

140minutes

Director

Derek Cianfrance

Writers

Derek Cianfrance

Cast

  • Headshot Of Ryan Gosling In The Paris premiere of 'The Fall Guy'

    Ryan Gosling

  • Headshot Of eva mendes In The 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards

    Eva Mendes

  • Headshot Of Bradley Cooper In The Premiere of ‘If’

    Bradley Cooper

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Directed and partially written by Derek Cianfrance, The Place Beyond the Pines is a Drama and Crime film starring Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, Bradley Cooper,  and Ray Liotta. The story follows a young motorcycle stuntman who must turn to a life of crime in order to keep his family financially secure.

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Early in Mahershala Ali’s career, he showed an ability to take smaller roles in projects and make them feel like bigger characters. Such was the case with the underseen yet impactful crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines. Ryan Gosling stars in the movie as a motorcycle stuntman who moonlights as a petty criminal while trying to prove himself capable of providing for his son. However, his actions not only have lasting impacts on his family but also on another father and son.

Ali plays Kofi, the man who is now with Gosling’s ex and the mother of his child. Ali could have played the role of a jealous “other man”, but infuses Kofi with great dignity, forgoing his pride and looking out for his loved ones. The movie is a deeply moving story of flawed fathers and sons that also features great performances from Bradley Cooper and Dane DeHaan.

3

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

As Aaron Davis / Prowler

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Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

PG
SuperheroActionAdventureAnimationFamilySci-Fi

Release Date

December 6, 2018

Runtime

117 minutes

Director

Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Writers

Phil Lord, Rodney Rothman

Producers

Avi Arad, Christina Steinberg, Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Stan Lee, Amy Pascal, Brian Michael Bendis

Cast

  • Headshot of Shameik Moore

    Shameik Moore

    Peter B. Parker (voice)

  • Headshot Of Jake Johnson

    Jake Johnson

    Miles Morales (voice)

  • Headshot OF Hailee Steinfeld

    Hailee Steinfeld

    Gwen Stacy (voice)

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse follows Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales as he discovers his powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. While adapting to his new abilities, he encounters a super collider constructed by the villain Kingpin, which inadvertently brings other Spider-heroes from parallel universes into his dimension.

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While fans are still waiting for Mahershala Ali’s Blade to step into the MCU, the actor has a few comic book projects to his name already, including one of the best animated entries in the genre. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of many comic book movies to deal with the multiverse, and certainly the most effective. It follows Miles Morales, a bright young teen who is not only bitten by a radioactive spider but is also introduced to various versions of the web-slinging hero across multiple realities.

Ali takes on the complex role of Aaron Davies, Miles’ caring uncle who is also the villainous henchman, Prowler. The actor pulls off both aspects of the character expertly. Into the Spider-Verse is a hilarious, action-packed, and clever love letter to the lore of Spider-Man with an animation style that has inspired many movies that followed.

2

Green Book (2018)

As Doctor Donald Shirley

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Green Book

PG-13
BiographyComedyDrama

Release Date

November 16, 2018

Runtime

130 minutes

Director

Peter Farrelly

Writers

Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga

Cast

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Iqbal Theba

  • Headshot Of Viggo Mortensen

    Viggo Mortensen

  • Headshot Of Sebastian Maniscalco

    Sebastian Maniscalco

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Green Book is an Oscar-winning road movie starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali as Italian American bouncer Tony Lip and pianist prodigy Dr. Don Shirley, respectively. They form an unlikely friendship in the face of the all-pervasive racism and homophobia of the Deep South in the 1960s. The 2018 film is inspired by true events and its title comes from a real-life guidebook made for Black travelers.

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With only his second nomination, Ali won his second Oscar for his performance in Green Book. Green Book is based on a true story about Italian American bouncer Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) who takes a job as a chauffeur for African American pianist Don Shirley (Ali) as he does a tour of performances in the Deep South in 1962. Though they are very different people who come from very different worlds, they gradually form a bond and a life-changing friendship.

Along with Ali winning his second Oscar, Green Book also marks the second Best Picture winner the actor appeared in. While it is a much more controversial winner than Moonlight, it is still an entertaining and funny comedy that makes great use of the chemistry between the two stars. Ali is especially good as a talented man who is not naïve about the dangers he faces but is willing to push back on ignorance.

1

Moonlight (2016)

As Juan

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Moonlight

R
Drama

Release Date

October 21, 2016

Runtime

111 Minutes

Director

Barry Jenkins

Writers

Barry Jenkins

Cast

  • Headshot Of Janelle Monae

    Janelle Monae

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Edson Jean

  • Headshot Of Alex R. Hibbert

    Alex R. Hibbert

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Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, Moonlight follows Chiron (Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, and Alex Hibbert) during three stages of his life, starting in childhood and progressing all the way up through adulthood. The film explores themes of identity and sexuality, chronicling Chiron’s life as a gay black man growing up in Miami to an abusive, drug-addicted mother. 

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Mahershala Ali won his first Oscar and announced himself as one of the most exciting actors in Hollywood with his performance in the Best Picture winner, Moonlight. From filmmaker Barry Jenkins, Moonlight tells the story of a main character as it explores his life as a young child, a teenager, and a grown adult, detailing the difficult relationships in his life as well as his hidden homosexuality. Ali appears in the first section of the story as Juan, a drug dealer who becomes a caring mentor for the boy known as Little.

Though he only appears in a third of the movie, Ali makes Juan’s presence felt throughout the story. He creates a complex and layered character who is flawed but also gives Little some of the only love he has in life. The movie is a captivating and beautiful story filled with heartbreak, but it delivers an ultimately inspiring message.