Mahershala Ali Deserves Better Than This Golden Globes Snub

Of the 14 actors who will win Golden Globes tonight, the one I thought most likely to walk away with a statue was Mahershala Ali. But with the very first award of the evening came the first snub — and it was a big one. The House of Cards actor's sensitive, nuanced turn in Moonlight was by all accounts among the breakout performances of the year. Taking on a role that could easily have succumbed to stereotype, Ali gave us a fully realized Miami drug dealer, who offers mentorship and shelter to a young queer kid when he needs it most. I saw Nocturnal Animals, Tom Ford's thoroughly stylish Hollywood noir, but I couldn't remember who Aaron Taylor-Johnson played when his name was called as winner for Best Supporting Actor. My colleagues told me he's the villain — still no bells. After a quick google image search, I was reminded of Johnson's role as a murderous sadist in the novel Jake Gyllenhaal's character sends his wife. I had the thought that his performance slid into the trap that Ali's so carefully avoided, part of the reason it was so forgettable to me. I'll console myself with the fact that Twitter, at least, seems to agree with me. Here's hoping Academy voters do, too.