Breakthrough Star: Mahershala Ali

Mahershala Ali is one of the busiest actors today, so versatile that audiences might not realize that they are seeing the same performer in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay,” “House of Cards,” “Luke Cage,” and “Alphas.” As Juan, the compassionate drug dealer who befriends “Moonlight’s” main character, he was recognized by the Washington Area Film Critics Association as the best male supporting performance of the year. He plays a military man in the upcoming “Hidden Figures,” based on the true story of black female mathematicians at NASA in the 1960’s. I can’t wait to see what he does next.