True Detective
Season 3 M-Net (*101) 22:10 Drama
Show creator Nic Pizzolatto says that casting Mahershala Ali as troubled ex-detective Wayne Hays in season 3 of anthology drama True Detective (2014current) made perfect sense. “He’s able to bring out the best and worst of his characters at the same time. Wayne is broken but vulnerable after 30 years of this case and Mahershala was the only person who could do him justice.”
The 44-year-old’s stage name is short for Mahershalalhashbaz – Maher-shalal-hash-baz. He changed his surname from Gilmore to Ali when he converted to Islam in 2000. He shortened his name in 2012 when he was told that it was too long for the poster of 2012 drama The Place Behind The Pines and he had two choices: be credited as M Ali or come up with something shorter. Mahershala has cut his own hair since he was 12, saying that growing it for roles is tough: “I am set in my ways. Sometimes I just want to grab the clippers and go wild up there.” He’s the first Muslim winner of an Oscar, for his role as Juan in 2016 drama Moonlight. He calls his gong his second baby, thanking his wife AmatusSami Karim in his acceptance speech for giving him his first baby three days earlier – their daughter Bari. Mahershala planned on playing pro basketball but quit the sport while studying communication at St Mary’s College Of California after being repeatedly dropped by his coaches. He calls his audition for Xaro Xhoan Daxos in fantasy show Game Of Thrones (2011- current) his worst- ever. Nonso Anozie was cast in the role instead.