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Mahershala Ali made history as the first black – and Muslim actor to win 2 Best Supporting Actor Oscars

American actor ‘Mahershala Ali’ has won the Oscar for best supporting actor for his role as a composer Don Shirley in ‘Green Book’ in the 91st Academy Awards. Notably, 45 year old M. Ali made history as the first black – and Muslim actor to win two Best Supporting Actor Oscars after ‘moonlight’ in 2017. He remarked during his acceptance speech that he tried to “capture Doctor Shirley’s essence” in the film.

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Importantly, The concerned film focuses on Shirley’s relationship with his white driver, played by Viggo Mortensen, during a 1962 road trip through the U.S. South. Shirley died in 2013.

However, This is Ali’s second Oscar win, after he took the award in the same category in 2017 for “Moonlight”, becoming the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar. The actor began his acting field in 2001, appearing as a doctor on television series “Crossing Jordan.” He is currently stars in his first leading TV role as Arkansas police detective Wayne Hays on HBO series “True Detective.”

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Denzel Actor is the only other black actor to win an Oscar more than once. He began his acting field in 2001, appearing as a doctor on television series “Crossing Jordan.”

In 2019, he triumphed over a field that included Adam Driver as a cop in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, Sam Rockwell as George W Bush in Vice, and Richard E Grant as drug dealer Jack Hock in Can You Ever Forgive Me? He was the strong favourite for the prize, having won all the major best supporting actor awards this year, including the Bafta, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.

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Following the Green Book, pianist Don Shirley (Actor Ali) hires Italian American hoodlum Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) as a driver and bodyguard on a concert tour in the deep south in the pre-civil rights early 1960s. The film’s title comes from the motoring handbook published to support African Americans avoid hostile areas while travelling around the United State.

About the author

Trilok Singh

Mr. Trilok Kumar Singh is a media entrepreneur, researcher, and academic associated with K.R. Mangalam University and several digital platforms. Mr. Singh is presently teaching in the School of Emerging Media and Creator Economy (SEMCE) at K.R. Mangalam University (KRMU), Gurugram, while pursuing a Ph.D. in Journalism and Mass Communication at the same university.​ He holds a master’s degree in Political Science from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and a master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Galigotias University, along with a postgraduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism from International School of Journalism and Mass Communication, News 24 Campus.

He has built multiple digital ventures in news and social media, including Youth Darpan Media, IASmind.com, Post AtoZ Social Media, Micro BlogIN, and the International Journal of Journalism and Mass Communication (IJJMC), where he serves in leadership roles. His platforms and initiatives have been highlighted by various media outlets, and he has several years of experience in the digital media ecosystem as a founder and CEO. Mr. Singh has written extensively on sustainability, climate change, international relations, foreign policy, Indian politics, governance, and contemporary issues, contributing hundreds of articles and opinion pieces to Indian and global digital platforms. In addition, he has authored multiple journal articles and book chapters, further strengthening his academic and professional contributions to media and communication studies.

In 2025, Trilok Singh published a research article titled “Navigating Media Regulation and Censorship in Over‑the‑Top Platforms” and six book chapters: “Sustainable Development Cooperation Under India’s G20 Presidency,” “Digital Pathways to Sustainability: Assessing the Role and Impact of OTT Platforms in Advancing the United Nations SDGs,” and “The Role of Digital Media in Promoting Sustainable Business Practices in Delhi NCR,” among others. He also received two Best Research Paper Presenter awards at one international and one national conference in recognition of this work.