Mahershala Ali, as we say to him below in our interview, is having a moment.
We spoke about that,Luke Cage, his decision to leaveHouse of Cardsand more recently in Los Angeles.
Den of Geek: Youre kind of having a little bit of a moment right now.
Does it feel like that to you?
Does it feel like things are going to the next level in a way?
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Mahershala Ali:Yes.
That I needed to do it because it was going to open up some things for me.
I just felt it deep down inside, and its doing just that.
You have been choosing great projects.
Youve said that you started a little bit late in this business.
I got out of grad school in 2000.
I was about 26 years old.
A lot of actors know they want to be actors a little bit earlier on.
I didnt even really start studying until I was about 22.
In terms of pace, I think I just have to revisit my relationship with expectations.
Also, in some ways accepting how Hollywood places a premium on youth.
Moonlightis such a beautifully done, almost poetic film.
What was your response to first reading the character Juan and seeing what this is all about?
I was surprised that he just felt real, that he felt like a person that I knew.
It wasnt that they walked around and you thought, Oh, well there goes the drug dealer.
There goes the guy who will shoot you at a moments notice.
You know their history, you know them as a complete person.
Youve laughed and cried with them, and you know their heart.
This project and this part really spoke to me in relation to my own personal experiences.
Also, just surprised me that it felt so real.
Does he see helping Chiron as a way to change course a little bit?
Theres some things that didnt make the cut of this film that we did shoot.
Juan has accepted his lot.
This is what he is, and this is what hes going to be, but hes not flashy.
He floats under the radar to some degree.
Hes got a nice home.
Nothing excessive relative to that world, but hes also a guy who would never promote that life.
You feel that from Juan.
You dont feel like he would be someone who would be trying to necessarily pull people into that lifestyle.
On set, we spent a lot of time together.
We had a great time.
You didKicksbefore this…
A year before.
Kicks took two years to come out.
There are some similarities and an authenticity to them both.
Yeah, but I thinkKicksexists in a different world.
I feel likeKicksexists in a lighter place, theres more space for laughter.
Its not going to drag you under for as long.
I feel like theres just a greater degree of pain inMoonlight.
Im not saying it makes it a better movie.
Theyre just really different movies with some similar aspects to them for sure.
I dont know if were in a time where it feels like everythings getting better.
I think we just need some time to see.
I want to say yes.
How was the experience of doingLuke Cageand again finding a human being in Cottonmouth?
That character just felt really toxic to me, and I dont mean that in a negative way.
OnHouse of Cards, you walked away at the end of Season Four.
Did it just feel natural for you to bring the characters journey to an end?
Any second thoughts about that?
It was just time.
It was just time.
I felt like it was time.
Hes reached his shelf life.
I didnt want to do that.
I want to explore more.
I would love an opportunity to lead my own show or to lead films and television.
You have to let go of one opportunity to go for the thing that you want for yourself.
Moonlightis in theaters today (October 21) whileLuke Cageis streaming on Netflix.
