‘I want to thank my teachers, my professors ... one thing that they consistently told me, Zelda Fichandler, Ron Van Lieu, Ken Washington, is that it wasn’t about you. It’s not about you. It’s about these characters’ — List of Mahershala Ali Oscar nominations, wins
Posted: February 2026
List of Oscar nominations and wins for Mahershala Ali. Mahershala Ali has been nominated for 2 Academy Awards, both for Best Supporting Actor, and won 2. Year indicates year/period for which films were eligible for awards consideration, not year of ceremony. Sources: Oscars.org, Internet Movie Database, Wikipedia
WON: 2018: Green Book (Best Supporting Actor) — Other nominees: Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman), Sam Rockwell (Vice), Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born)
WON: 2016: Moonlight (Best Supporting Actor) — Other nominees: Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water), Dev Patel (Lion), Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)
Mahershala Ali, who attended Mount Eden High School in Hayward, Calif., played basketball for four seasons at Saint Mary’s College of California; he was then known as Hershal Gilmore. He has appeared in “Hidden Figures,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” series.