Mahershala Ali Won a Golden Globe, Then Got Vodka Poured Over His Face by Bill Murray

Mahershala Ali was one of the big winners at the 2019 Golden Globes, taking home the Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical trophy for his work in “Green Book,” and his lucky night culminated with Bill Murray pouring vodka all over his face. How’s that for a celebration? Ali told the story of his memorable post-Globes encounter with Murray during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres.

“Bill was toasting us,” Ali said. “Bill toasted his glass on Viggo’s head, Linda’s head, and then toasts on my head and vodka spills all over my face and is running down into my eyes and in my mouth. And I’m doing the whole interview with an eye closed. “Vodka in the eye…it felt like hot acid rolling down my face.”

Ali was backstage at the Beverly Hills Hotel with “Green Book” director Peter Farrelly and co-stars Viggo Mortensen and Linda Cardellini doing an interview with The Hollywood Reporter when Murray came over and gave his unique congratulations. Ali has no hard feelings, as he explained, “Hey, it’s Bill Murray!”

Following his Golden Globes win, Ali will compete for Best Supporting Actor at the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards later this month. The actor, a previous Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner for Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” has already picked up honors from the Black Film Critics Circle, the Dallas-Forth Worth Film Critics Association, and the Iowa Film Critics for his performance in “Green Book.”

“Green Book” stars Ali as jazz pianist Don Shirley, and centers around the friendship between Shirley and his chauffeur Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen). In addition to Ali’s victory, the movie also won Golden Globes for Best Screenplay and Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.

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