Muslim 'Moonlight' Star Calls for Religious Acceptance at SAG Awards
Mahershala Ali’s acceptance speech at the Screen Actors Guild Awards was a tearful response to Trump’s immigration ban.
www.advocate.com/film/2017/1/29/muslim-moonlight-star-calls-religious-acceptance-sag-awards
Moonlight’s Mahershala Ali Delivers Emotional SAG Awards Speech About Muslim Faith, Persecution: WATCH
Mahershala Ali delivered an incredible SAG Awards acceptance speech, highlighting his Muslim faith and the themes of Moonlight to convey a powerful message about persecution and acceptance.
Moonlight highlights three parts of a young gay man’s life. Ali plays Juan, a drug dealer who becomes a father figure to the central character Chiron as he tries to evade bullies.
“I think what I’ve learned working on Moonlight is we see what happens when you persecute people,” said Ali. “They fold into themselves. What I was so grateful about in having the opportunity to play Juan 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 that he mattered. And tell him that he was okay. And accept him. And I hope we do a better job of that.”
“When we get caught up in the minutia, in the details that make us all different, I think there’s two ways of seeing that.,” he added. “There’s an opportunity to see the texture of that person, the characteristics that make them unique. And then there’s the opportunity to go to war about it. And to say that that person is different than me, and I don’t like you, so let’s battle.”
Ali then made a resonant point about religion:
“My mother is an ordained minister. I’m a Muslim. She didn’t do backflips when I called her to tell her when I converted seventeen years ago. But I tell you know, you put things to the side. I’m able to see her. She’s able to see me. We love each other. The love has grown. And that stuff is minutia. It’s not that important.”
Watch:
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#SAGAwards honor Lily Tomlin; Sarah Paulson, 'Moonlight's' Mahershala Ali and more pick up awards
Out actress Lily Tomlin was presented with the Life Achievement Award tonight by her friends and 9 to 5 co-star Dolly Parton. Tomlin is currently starring in Netflix’s original comedy Grace & Frankie alongside Jane Fonda, the two play eventual friends who bond when their husbands leave them for each other. The series was nominated in Outstanding Comedy Series at last year’s 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. She was also nominated in Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, making her only the second actor to be receiving the Life Achievement Award while also in the running as a nominee. Tomlin took a moment in her speech to talk about how much work there is to do in our country. Check out her speech below, and go see a list of the stars who used their time on stage to speak to unity, diversity, and the power of media to bring us all together.
After 50 years in the business, Lily Tomlin has some sage advice for actors! #sagawards pic.twitter.com/sTo9eauoos
— SAG Awards® (@SAGawards) January 30, 2017
Tomlin also starred in the 2015 film Grandma, which was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. Tomlin plays Ella Reid, a lesbian poet who just broke up with her longtime girlfriend, and now must help her granddaughter Sage try to get 600 dollars for an abortion before the end of the day. The film also features trans actress, Laverne Cox, as Deathy, Reid’s tattoo artist friend.
Tomlin has made history several times during her career. She was the first woman to appear solo in a Broadway show when Appearing Nitely began in April 1977. She also has two of the three top charting female comedy albums according to Billboard listings. In addition to numerous film and TV roles, Tomlin also narrated the 1995 documentary The Celluloid Closet, which was based on the book by her friend and GLAAD co-founder Vito Russo. Tomlin married her wife and longtime creative partner Jane Wagner in 2013.
.@LilyTomlin is an LGBTQ and Hollywood legend who has used her platform to push acceptance forward. This #SAGAwards honor is well deserved. pic.twitter.com/GZ97ZXK2uo
— Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) January 30, 2017
I was so proud to march with @LilyTomlin at the #WomensMarch last week. She always stands up and doesn’t back down. #SAGAwards
— Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) January 30, 2017
Mahershala Ali won the award in Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Juan in Moonlight. “What I’ve learned from working on Moonlight is we see what happens when we persecute people, they fold into themselves. What I was so grateful about in having the opportunity to play Juan 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 that he mattered, that he was okay, and accept him. I hope that we do a better job at that,” he said during his speech.
Mahershala Ali of @moonlightmov #sagawards pic.twitter.com/q9txL6fW8R
— SAG Awards® (@SAGawards) January 30, 2017
Out actress Sarah Paulson won Outstanding Performance be a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series. She used her time on stage to ask people to donate to the ACLU if they’re able. GLAAD is proud to stand beside the ACLU against Trump’s discriminatory immigration policies. The Game of Thrones stunt cast picked up Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series. Orange is the New Black took home the actor in Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy series, the third consecutive win for the series. Lead actor Taylor Schilling spoke for the cast on the power of storytelling, saying, “We know that it’s going to be up to us – and all of you probably too – to keep telling stories that show that what unites us is stronger than what divides us.”
Congrats to the winners!
