Oscar nominee Mahershala Ali and wife welcome their first child

He can also claim a monumental moment in Academy Awards history as the first Muslim actor, EVER, to win the award.

Introducing the award, host Jimmy Kimmel joked, “it’s what most parents of actors are still doing – supporting actors”. The Oakland, CA native came into the awards as the favorite already being recognized by the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

Mahershala Ali has been an incredible actor with a long career and bagged his first Oscar for the role of Juan in Moonlight. At the 89th Academy Awards, Ali won his first Oscar award.

Viola Davis, who won best supporting actress, became only the second black woman to win an Emmy, an Oscar and a Tony for acting.

Many young adults may have questioned their life choices upon seeing Damien Chazelle win Best Director at the Oscars for La La Land at the age of 32.

The 43-year-old shook hands with his fellow nominee, Jeff Bridges as he headed up to the stage.

During his emotional Oscar winning speech, Ali showing gratitude thanked his “wonderful teachers” for inspiring him.

“I want to thank my teachers, my professors”, began the actor, who received a standing ovation. And one thing that they consistently told me is – [his teachers] Oliver Chandler, Ron Van Lieu, Ken Washington – is that it wasn’t about you. “It’s very hard to feel joy in a moment like that you know, but because somebody else – it’s in front of them, but I feel very fortunate for all of us to have walked away with the Best Picture award”.

Ali went public with his faith during a moving plea for tolerance at the Screen Actors Guild awards on January 29, just days after President Donald Trump ordered a travel ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Ali also paid tribute to his wife who gave birth to their daughter last week.