Alex R. Hibbert
Moonlight was Hibbert’s acting debut.
Ashton Sanders
Previous to Moonlight, Sanders’ credits included The Retrieval and Straight Outta Compton. He dropped out of acting school at DePaul University to pursue his acting career.
Trevante Rhodes
Following a brief but successful career as a track and field sprinter, Rhodes began acting in films and shows such as Terrence Malick’s Song to Song and HBO’s Westworld. His performance in Moonlight garnered much acclaim.
Mahershala Ali
For his breakout performance in Moonlight, Ali received almost universal praise and acclaim, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This marked the first time a Muslim actor has received an Oscar. He also received a SAG Award and a Critic’s Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor for the performance. Before Moonlight, Ali starred in films as notable as Hidden Figures, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (Parts 1 and 2), and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Ali grew up in Oakland, California and Cleveland, Ohio, and attended NYU for acting after parting with his aspirations to become an athlete.
Janelle Monae
After achieving widespread fame as an R&B singer/songwriter and a model, Monae launched her career as an actress by starring in Hidden Figures and Moonlight in 2016. Both performances earned her acclaim, and both films were nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, with Moonlight taking home the prize. Monae’s music has earned her six Grammy nominations and has been characterized as Afrofuturist R&B. She also works as a Covergirl spokeswoman. Monae grew up in Kansas and worked as a maid before moving to Atlanta to launch her music career.
Naomie Harris
Despite her convincing performance as a resident of Miami, Harris hails from London and attended Cambridge University, graduating with a degree in Social and Political Sciences. Following her graduation, she attended Bristol Old Vic for acting and soon saw a successful career as an actor, with prominent roles in films like Pirates of the Caribbean, Miami Vice, Skyfall, and Southpaw. For her performance in Moonlight, Harris earned nominations for a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress.
André Holland
Holland is known for his roles in not only Moonlight but also Ava Duvernay’s Selma, the Cinemax drama The Knick, and FX’s American Horror Story. He attended acting school at NYU.
