Barry Jenkin's empathetic film called #Moonlight about a young black man growing up in Louisiana, is a portrait of compassion in an age of harshness. Following on from complaints last year about the lack of representation of black and non-white actors and talent in the Oscars, the dazzling array of awards that Moonlight has so far won, as well as the attention it has courted, is a wonderful thing to behold.
Other contenders in the #Oscars race feature black actors. There is Fences – Denzel Washingont for best actor – as well as Loving – Ruth Negga as best actress – and then Hidden Figures – Octavia Spencer.
It is heartening to see Hollywood finally giving these hard working actors the attention they deserve.
But it is as the main actor in Moonlight who is really causing a sensation. Growing up with a single mother in Oakland, #Mahershala Ali came to prominence in Netflix's The House of Cards, where he played Remy, a smart and sometimes soft-hearted political lobbyist. He is also a Muslim, which he converted to when he was in his twenties.
