The Academy Awards are known as Hollywood’s biggest night, but there are some nominees from the northern part of the state who are hoping to win big at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony.
Mahershala Ali: Ali was born in Oakland, grew up in Hayward and went to school at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. He’s nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in “Green Book.” Ali plays Don Shirley, a world-class pianist who goes on a tour of the South with a white driver in the 1960s.
Ali’s performance has been widely praised, while the film itself has received criticism for historical inaccuracies and “white savior” tendencies. But it’s also been racking up awards, including Best Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, where Ali took home the prize for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
In 2017, Ali became the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar when he won for his supporting role in that year’s Best Picture winner, “Moonlight.”
Sam Rockwell: Best Actor in a Supporting Role is full of Bay Area representation, with the Daly City-born and San Francisco-raised Rockwell joining Ali. Rockwell is nominated for his take on former President George W. Bush in the Dick Cheney biopic, “Vice.” He’s the reigning winner in the category, taking home the prize last year for his role as a racist cop in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”