Mahershala Ali's Real Name: Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore

Quick answer: Mahershala Ali's original name is Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore. He was born on February 16, 1974, in Oakland, California. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor for Moonlight (2016) and Green Book (2018) (Britannica).

Real name and early life

Britannica gives his original name as Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore, born February 16, 1974, in Oakland. The Library of Congress heading is "Ali, Mahershala, 1974-," with official variants "Ali, Mahershalalhashbaz, 1974-" and "Gilmore, Mahershalalhashbaz, 1974-." One citation note in that record lists February 26, 1974, which conflicts with the February 16 date given by Britannica and other notes. Britannica says he converted to the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam and changed his last name to Ali. A Library of Congress note adds that he was known professionally as Mahershalalhashbaz Ali until 2010.

He won a basketball scholarship to St. Mary's College of California, Britannica says, earned a bachelor's degree in communications in 1996, and later received an M.F.A. from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 2000. While in college he took part in poetry slams and appeared in a production of Spunk, which turned him toward acting.

Career highlights

Britannica identifies him as the son of Phillip Gilmore. After graduation he starred in the independent film Making Revolution (2003). Early work also included the play The Great White Hope at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., in 2000, a season on Crossing Jordan (2001–02), and the series The 4400 (2004–07). He appeared in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), had a recurring role on Treme (2011–12), and played Boggs, an ally of Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), in the Hunger Games: Mockingjay films (2014–15). He also released rap albums as Prince Ali, Corner Ensemble (2006) and Curb Side Service (2007).

He won his first supporting-actor Oscar as Juan in Barry Jenkins's Moonlight (2016) and a second as the pianist Don Shirley in Green Book (2018), which also brought a Golden Globe Award in 2019. Britannica lists an Emmy Award in 2020 for outstanding children's program. Those later roles kept him visible in both prestige film and popular franchises after the two Oscar wins.

Name notes for searchers

Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore is the documented original name; he has been known professionally as Mahershala Ali, and earlier as Mahershalalhashbaz Ali. Searchers looking for Mahershala, Mahershalalhashbaz, or Gilmore in this context are usually aiming at the same person.