"MOONLIGHT" TAKES HOME BEST MALE SUPPORTING ACTOR TROPHY AT SAG AWARDS

Moonlight' star Mahershala Ali gives emotional speech on conversion to Islam and understanding

Credit: Kevork Djansezian/WireImage

LOS ANGELES, CA) - JANUARY 30, 2017 - Last night, the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were given away last night and A24's Moonlight received "Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role" for Mahershala Ali out of three nominations.

Ali, who plays "Juan," a drug dealer who becomes a father figure for young Chiron in

Moonlight, gave an emotional acceptance speech about his conversion to Islam and humanity.

"I think what I have learned from working on Moonlight, you see what happens in persecution," he said. "What I was so grateful about and having the opportunity was playing a gentleman who saw a young man folding into himself as a result of the persecution of his community, and taking that opportunity to uplift him and tell him he mattered, that he was OK. And accept him. I hope that we do a better job of that."