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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 21 February 2017
New spotlight, new baby for Oscars-bound Mahershala Ali

SANDY COHEN milestones grounding, the you been shooting while all
AP Entertainment Writer role music plays in his per- this is going on?
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ma- formances and what he Ali: I literally just wrapped
hershala Ali’s universe is wants to do next. The inter- (last week) in Austin, Texas. I
expanding, personally and view has been edited for really loved working on that
professionally. After almost clarity and brevity. job, but I’ve never enjoyed
20 years as an actor, he’s AP: How are you juggling working on a project so
attending his first Academy awards season with the ex- much and wanted to get
Awards as a star of two of pansion of your family? home so bad at the same
its best picture nominees: Ali: Having a child is the po- time.
he’s Taraji P. Henson’s love lar opposite experience of AP: You’ve said you make
interest in “Hidden Figures”; the awards season experi- playlists for each character
and he’s favored to win ence. The awards-season you portray — music they
the supporting actor Oscar experience ... requires you might listen to or that helps
for his portrayal of a com- to be out in the community, you get into their head- This Feb. 6, 2017 file photo shows Mahershala Ali at the 89th
passionate drug dealer in in the heart of the commu- space. Are you doing the Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif.
“Moonlight.” nity, at the nucleus of the same thing for your new Associated Press
Meanwhile, Ali is also pre- film community in a really role as a dad?
paring for first-time father- committed way for about Ali: There’s stuff that will I was born, because my to connect with the family
hood with wife Amatus a six-month period of time. pop up for me that makes connection to music is so about that and, first and
Sami-Karim, the artist he fell Having a child requires me think of our child or the strong. I cling to it. I vibe out foremost, to have their
in love with while studying you to nest, to be in your hospital, things that feel to it. I release stress to it. Mu- blessing. Because that
for his master’s degree at home, and to create and right for that vibe and the sic is really always close to would be a dream role. I
New York University in 2000. make your home and envi- energy that you want in me. It’s really present in my am such a fan and admirer
They married in 2013, and ronment that is one that is the hospital and even after work in terms of how I relate of Marvin Gaye: the man
her pregnancy paralleled potentially very welcoming the baby’s born... I was tell- to characters is through and the musician and the
his rising profile this awards and nurturing for a child. ... ing my wife the other day rhythm and sound, even in artist. ... I would love dear-
season. The pregnancy has been that, knowing my father their speech. ly to do that project and
The 43-year-old actor talk- a real anchor for me to be (late Broadway performer AP: What about your ulti- bring some aspect of Mar-
ed with The Associated able to check in. Phillip Gilmore), they must mate job — after father- vin Gaye’s life to the screen
Press about why he finds AP: You’re working on Rob- have been playing a lot of hood, of course — you and to assist and partici-
the convergence of his ert Rodriguez’s big sci-fi film, music when my mom was want to play Marvin Gaye? pate in that. That would be
personal and professional “Alita: Battle Angel.” Have pregnant, or like right after Ali: I would love to be able a dream come true.q