'Moonlight' Muslim star Mahershala Ali addresses treatment of Muslims in SAG acceptance speech
buzzz worthy. . . 'Moonlight' star Mahershala Ali gives emotional speech on conversion to Islam and understanding Credit: Kevork Djansezian/WireImage LOS ANGELES, CA) - The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were presented Sunday night and A24's Moonlight received "Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role" for Mahershala Ali out of three nominations. Ali, who plays "Juan," a drug dealer who becomes a father figure for young Chiron in Moonlight , gave an emotional acceptance speech about his conversion to Islam and humanity. "I think what I have learned from working on Moonlight , you see what happens in persecution," he said. "What I was so grateful about and having the opportunity was playing a gentleman who saw a young man folding into himself as a result of the persecution of his community, and taking that opportunity to uplift him and tell him he mattered, that he ...