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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (June 22, 2016)
Page 8 The Skanner June 22, 2016 News ‘Free State of Jones’ Star Mahershala Ali Talks to Kam Williams By Kam Williams For The Skanner News co-starring Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Keri Russell. B Kam Williams: Hi Mahershala, thanks for the interview. Mahershala Ali: Thank you, Kam. orn in Oakland and raised in neighboring Hayward, Calif., Ma- hershala Ali received his bach- elor of arts degree in mass com- munications at St. Mary’s College. He made his professional debut perform- ing with the California Shakespeare Festival in Orinda, California. Soon thereater, he earned his Master’s de- gree in Acting from New York Univer- sity’s prestigious graduate program. Mahershala is fast becoming one of the freshest and most in-demand faces in Hollywood with his extraordinari- ly diverse skill set and wide-ranging background in ilm, television, and theater. Last fall, he wrapped Brad Pitt and Adele Romanski’s independent- ly-produced feature ilm, “Moonlight,” “ KW: What interested you in “Free State of Jones”? MA: The story, irst of. I had never heard of Newton Knight. So, the narra- tive as a whole was really attractive to me because it was a refreshing depar- ture from the homogeneous depictions of the Civil War where the North want- ed to abolish slavery while the South wanted to keep it intact. Here, you had an example of a Southerner who spoke out against slavery during the war and who later became an activist for Civil Rights and this new idea of equality for all people regardless of one’s skin color, His were big shoes to ill, but they were ones that I was very excited to step into. and reprised his role in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2,” alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Donald Sutherland and Julianne Moore. On television, Mahershala was re- cently cast in Netlix’s “Luke Cage” in the role of Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes. He can also be seen on the award-winning Netlix original series House of Cards, where he’s reprising his fan-favorite role as lobbyist and former press secretary Remy Danton. Here, Mahershala talks about acting in “Free State of Jones,” a Civil War saga race or creed. KW: What interested you in playing Moses? MA: I had never seen a character in this time period who had such agency and mobility for someone living in the South. He had run away with a group of former slaves and was really living life on his own terms in the swamps. And he was determined to be pro-ac- tive in his people’s emancipation. Also, seeing his evolution over the course of the narrative really inspired me. He’s Mahershala Ali (right) during the ilming of ‘Free State of Jones,’ a Civil War saga co-starring Matthew McConaughey (left), Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Keri Russell. a disenfranchised, runaway slave with no education who learns to read and write and really becomes a leader and an active participant in the democratic process who mobilizes others. His were big shoes to ill, but they were ones that I was very excited to step into. KW: How was it working with such an accomplished cast that included Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha- Raw, Keri Russell and Brendan Glee- son? MA: It was very inspiring and also humbling. It was a diicult shoot, being in the swamps in both the heat and the cold for four months, but everybody arrived ready to go, all-in and totally committed. It all started with Matthew and Gary [director Gary Ross] who had a wonderful energy and approach to the work every day that trickled down to the rest of the cast and crew. Every- one was aware of and inspired by the importance of the story we were tell- ing, and that was another added layer that contributed to the focus that ev- eryone had. KW: And how was it being directed by a four-time Oscar-nominee in Gary Ross? MA: Pretty phenomenal, starting with the audition process. He was very curious about my ideas in terms of See INTERVIEW on page 11 URBAN LEAGUE OF PORTLAND ANNUAL MEETING You are invited to attend the Urban League of Portland’s Annual Meeting to celebrate another successful year! DATE: June 29, 2016 TIME: 6:00 PM PLACE: MODA Center Rose Room 1 Center Court Street Portland, OR 97227 Join us to learn more about the work of the Urban League including our Housing, Healthy Families, Community Health, Jobs, Advocacy and Civic Engagement, and Youth Programs. During the annual meeting we will share our annual re- port and inancial position. Members will also elect our Board of Directors. 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