Education
New York University; Saint Mary"s College of California. Tisch School of the Arts.
New York University; Saint Mary"s College of California. Tisch School of the Arts.
Ali began his career as a regular on series such as Crossing Jordan (2001-2002) and Threat Matrix (2003-2004) before his breakthrough role as Richard Tyler in the science-fiction series The 4400. His first major film release was in the 2008 David Fincher-directed romantic fantasy drama film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. His other notable films include Predators (2010) and The Place Beyond the Pines (2012).
Ali is mostly known for his current roles as Remy Danton in House of Cards and Boggs in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Participant 1 (2014) and its sequel, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Participant 2 (2015).
Ali was born in Oakland, California. He is named after Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
He attended Saint Mary"s College of California in Moraga, where he graduated in 1996 with a degree in mass communication. Though Ali entered SMC with a basketball scholarship, he became disenchanted with the idea of a sports career due to the treatment given to the team"s athletes.
Ali developed an interest in acting, particularly after taking part in a staging of Spunk that later landed him an apprenticeship at the California Shakespeare Theater following graduation.
Following a sabbatic year where Ali worked for Gavin Report, he got into the New York University"s graduate acting program, earning his master"s degree in 2000. Ali is known for his portrayal of Remy Danton in the Netflix series House of Cards, Colonel Boggs in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Participant 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Participant 2, and Tizzy in the 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.