Beauty Break: Mahershala Ali for GQ
Friday, February 24, 2017 at 8:00AM Chris here. As our Oscar year comes to a close, let's take some reflection on one of this season's greatest joys: the rise of Mahershala Ali. While some (including Nathaniel) are predicting a Dev Patel upset this Sunday, Ali has dominated most of the circuit for his warm, conflicted work in Moonlight, becoming something of the face of its immaculate ensemble. And don't forget he's also a member of the Hidden Figures team with his knee-flutter-inducing charms on full display. If you want a moment of true moving inspiration, look no further than his SAG acceptance speech on his experience as a Muslim American. We'll have to wait until Sundance entry Roxanne Roxanne to see more of him, so enjoy him now while we can.
And now he's giving some sunlight to go with the Moonlight in a popping yellow-drenched spread for GQ. Think of the photoset as a candy coating on an already delicious year:
Do you think Mahershala is still winning on Sunday?
Reader Comments (16)
Yep! I feel it's gonna be one of those year where no surprise happen (read La La Land sweep) ... If only Huppert could ... (but she won't sight!)
i hope so. compare mahershala's classy sag speech with dev's doofus attempt at finding words in his hair at bafta - i'd prefer a repeat of the former
The first photo gives me a Breakfast on Pluto vibe
Mahershala is incredibly attractive to me. And this photo shoot is great. I think he s a sure thing. It s nice to see Dev pick up an award and hopefully that'll help him get good projects in future but there weren't really playing on even the same level. Also Dev is too green to sound eloquent and classy in the awards circuit.
With these colors it's like they're suggesting what could have been with La La Land... :)
But boy, is he dashingly handsome. Fingers crossed for him!
The final photo is reminiscent of Grace Jones. Blue-black is gorgeous.
I bloody hope so! Dev Patel was the weakest of the 5 Supporting actor nominees (flopping your hair and laughing goofily isn't acting) and Mahershala by far the best. Really hope he does, for his career, and MOONLIGHT's sake!
BAFTA giving Patel the win was nepotism at it's finest/worst.
Ali for the win of course.
I love LLL but if it sweeps I can't even.
Huppert had better win tho.
I had the same thought about Grace Jones.
I love those photos but have to admit, when I saw the yellow coat up top, my thought was "Consider."
Where did Nathaniel predict a Dev Patel upset? Looking for the post and can't find final winner predictions...
Hayden: he predicted it in the podcast :)
Oh, thanks—of course!
The supporting actor award has become a real nail biter. I want Mahershala to win but I don't think it's sewn up at all. Dev's BAFTA win, and the fact that they might split the vote of younger, newer Academy members has me wondering what kind of upset might be coming (Bridges? Shannon?)
I don't think we'll really know if the #OscarsSoWhite campaign and Cheryl Boone Isaac's reforms have truly taken hold until we hear the winners announced.
Dev Patel is easily the strongest of the nominees as far as I'm concerned, but I'm a bit ambivalent about him winning because it's a lead performance...
I hope he wins.