Mahershala Ali may be a complicated name, but you have to admit, it’s not an easily forgettable one. And the face to go with the name is becoming equally memorable. The California native has made several noteworthy appearances in both film and television in recent years, including turns in PREDATORS, Syfy’s “Alphas,” THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES and, most notably, Netflix’s “House of Cards.” But he’s about to receive his biggest audience yet, thanks to THE HUNGER GAMES: MONCKINGJAY – PART 1, in which he plays Boggs, the bodyguard of Katniss Everdeen. Because Boggs is Katniss’ designated protector, he’s a crucial figure in the rebellion against the fascist Capitol – hence a very important character overall in this particular world.
I had a brief window in which to converse with Mr. Ali recently, as you’ll see in the video below. We speak about his role in the next two films, the massive popularity of THE HUNGER GAMES franchise, and the training necessary to make Boggs the badass that he is.