Mahershala Ali Breaks Down in Tears Reflecting on ‘Moonlight’ at BFI London Film Festival

Mahershala Ali delivered an emotional and deeply introspective masterclass at the BFI London Film Festival on Saturday, breaking down in tears on stage as he reflected on the enduring legacy of Barry Jenkins’ landmark drama Moonlight.

During an extensive Screen Talk hosted by critic Amon Warmann, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor spoke candidly about his illustrious career, the emotional toll of his most demanding roles, the unexpected controversies he has faced, and why he ultimately feels like he is only just beginning his journey in the film industry.

The most poignant moment of the afternoon arrived when the conversation turned to Moonlight, which recently marked its tenth anniversary. Ali won his first Academy Award for his performance as Juan, a complex Miami drug dealer who becomes an unexpected surrogate father figure to a young, vulnerable boy named Chiron.

As Warmann guided the discussion toward a specific, heart-wrenching scene at a dinner table—where young Chiron anxiously asks Juan whether he sells drugs—Ali began to visibly struggle. Describing the moment on stage, Ali noted how audiences witness a profound crisis unfolding within a young boy who is already drowning in difficult circumstances, calling the dynamic truly heartbreaking.

When Warmann asked the actor to account for the film’s immense and enduring cultural power, Ali paused abruptly. Overcome by a sudden wave of emotion, he covered his face, wiped away tears, and asked the audience for a moment.

"Sorry, just need a second," he said softly, gathering his composure under the warm stage lights.

Once he collected himself, Ali articulated why the film continues to resonate so deeply with audiences across the globe. "Any time people put flesh on the bones of those who haven’t been seen or had their moment, I think it’s important," he told the captivated audience. "I think Moonlight was able to make those characters people… make it personal."

To breathe life into Juan, Ali drew heavily from his own personal history, channeling a man he had known throughout his life. Describing him as an uncle-like figure whom he grew up playing basketball with and who also worked as a substitute teacher, Ali recalled the profound shock he felt when the man was arrested and sent to prison while Ali was still in college.

"I thought of him a lot in the making of the film because of how human everyone was in my environment and in my upbringing," Ali shared, explaining how that grounded reality informed his critically acclaimed portrayal.

The conversation later shifted to other defining milestones in his career, including the intense scrutiny and backlash that followed the release of Green Book. In the Peter Farrelly-directed biographical comedy-drama, Ali starred opposite Viggo Mortensen as the celebrated classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley. While the film earned Ali his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, it also thrust the actor into a storm of controversy, including public disputes regarding what Dr. Shirley’s living family members had and had not sanctioned.

Reflecting on that tumultuous period, Ali was remarkably candid about the psychological weight of the experience. It was his first major cinematic role of that specific magnitude, and the subsequent public friction proved jarring for an actor accustomed to steady, respected character work.

"I still stand by it. I stand by the work," Ali stated firmly, adding that he also stands by "the experience as a whole, and what it taught me."

Describing the dizzying transition from feeling like Hollywood’s golden boy to grappling with public criticism and questioning whether he had misstepped, Ali admitted his natural vulnerability played a role in how deeply the backlash affected him.

"I think I’m just sensitive in general, you know what I mean? So it definitely like had its impact, like for sure," he said. At the same time, he expressed profound gratitude for the sheer exposure the film provided, utilizing a sharp metaphor to describe the trial by fire: "Like swords are folded in the fire, you know?"

Despite his historic back-to-back Oscar wins—an elite achievement in modern cinema—Ali maintained a grounded, almost detached perspective on the shiny accolades that came his way. Regarding his consecutive victories for Moonlight and Green Book, he noted, "I felt a sense of accomplishment, which is not fulfillment." True to that sentiment, he revealed that he keeps his prestigious golden statuettes tucked away in a cabinet entirely out of his daily line of sight, allowing him to bypass the distractions of past success and focus squarely on the work ahead.

That tireless work ethic has kept Ali at the forefront of both live-action prestige television and massive animation franchises. He continues to voice Aaron Davis across Sony’s critically acclaimed animated Spider-Verse films. Teasing his involvement in the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse and the alternate-universe variant of the character introduced at the conclusion of Across the Spider-Verse, Ali played coy when pressed for plot details.

"I don’t want to give anything away or spoil anything, I’ve got to be careful," he said with a grin. When an inquisitive interviewer pushed further to ask whether he had even finished recording his dialogue for the final installment, the actor leaned into the mystery, joking, "I might not even be in it, man! I don’t know, man! I don’t know!"

Moving past the secrecy, Ali offered fascinating insights into the unique creative process of voice acting for animation. Unlike traditional filmmaking, actors in the recording booth are routinely filmed while performing, allowing directors to capture spontaneous physical movements and improvised lines that frequently find their way into the final cut. These organic moments often spark narrative rewrites and additional recording sessions, leading Ali to boldly declare that animation projects will ultimately age better and hold up more resiliently than live-action cinema over time.

Ali’s dedication to his craft has occasionally pushed him to physical and mental extremes. Following the grueling promotional and awards season for Green Book, the actor pivoted immediately into the third season of HBO’s critically acclaimed anthology crime series True Detective, taking a break of merely a week or two. Stepping into the shoes of investigator Wayne Hays across three distinct chronological timelines required punishing 80-hour work weeks. The transformative makeup process required to age the character demanded four grueling hours in the chair every morning starting at 3:30 a.m.

The grueling seven-month shoot took place while his daughter was just one year old, stretching his endurance to the absolute limit. "I just think about how I almost went crazy doing that part," he admitted to the audience.

The BFI London Film Festival itself showcased Ali’s remarkable range, featuring two distinct projects starring the versatile actor. In addition to his live-action commitments, he voices the bandit leader Brendan in the animated fantasy film Wildwood. Meanwhile, in the gritty action thriller Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother, Ali takes on the complex role of Latif, a devout Muslim father who also operates as a contract killer. Preparing for the physically demanding role required mastering intense fight choreography in just three or four days.

"It’s really more like dance than what people realize," he observed, highlighting the precise rhythm and discipline required for action sequences.

Discussing the cultural significance of playing Latif, Ali emphasized his ongoing mission to inject depth and complexity into representations of Black men on screen. "I don’t feel like Black fathers have the dimensionality that I would love for them to have," he said.

Currently deep in production on the upcoming HBO crime series Task alongside Mark Ruffalo, Ali reflected on where he stands today after decades of memorable performances. Rather than feeling burnt out by the relentless pace of his career, he feels thoroughly energized by the challenges he chooses to take on.

Describing his current state of mind, Ali noted that he feels "exhausted for the right reasons" and "tired in the right way."

"So that’s why I feel like I’m just getting started," he concluded.