Actor Mahershala

The crossword question “Actor Mahershala is ALI” is referring to the actor Mahershala Ali. Mahershala Ali is an American actor and producer. He rose to fame with his portrayal of Remy Danton in the Netflix series House of Cards. He is also known for his roles in films such as Moonlight, Hidden Figures, and Green Book. Mahershala Ali was born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore, but later changed his name to Mahershala Ali for religious and personal reasons. The clue “Actor Mahershala is ALI” is simply indicating that the answer to the crossword is the last name Ali.