Mr. Jenkins, the director, said, “A friend of mine always says a black drug dealer is always only a black drug dealer,
but Juan is drawn from this lived experience.” In the scenes between Juan and Chiron, he added, “you’re just watching these two human beings.”
Janelle Monáe, who plays Juan’s girlfriend, agreed: “I am so proud as an African-American woman I was able to support an African-American man who is making sure
that the people in our communities are looked at as complete human beings and not marginalized and not treated as only their mistakes.”
Mr. Ali’s preconception-shattering take invites audiences to reassess their assumptions.
“I have a window where I want to play leading parts.”
As soon as Mr. Ali made his bold move to leave, he booked so much work
that his deliberate career plan began to look less like a calculated game of chess than a frenzied video game.
“It felt like there was a diversity box being checked,
and if you’re there to check a box, to some degree, then they’re not really going to write for you.”
Mr. Ali left and became a respected stage actor (“Smart People”) and journeyman supporting actor on other series (“Alphas,” “Treme”).
“I was worried that the characters would bleed together, or feel like different versions of the same character, and that terrified me.”
Mr. Ali, who is upbeat and charming in person but also very professional and earnest, was keenly aware that this was his moment.
