Lifestyle
Academy Award-Winning Actor Mahershala Ali Finds Serenity in Bay Area Bungalow Acquisition
Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali already owns two residences, one in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Los Angeles and the other in Philadelphia’s historic Germantown enclave, but he has decided to add a tranquil retreat in the North Hills neighborhood of Oakland. Ali and his wife, the producer and actress Amatus Sami-Karim, paid nearly $1.2 million for their new home, which was initially listed for just under $1 million.
The 48-year-old veteran film and television actor’s breakthrough performance occurred when he was cast as Remy Danton on Netflix’s “House of Cards.” Additionally, he has appeared in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The Hunger Games,” and “True Detective.” But Ali is perhaps best known for his supporting roles in “Moonlight” and “Green Book,” for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor on both occasions.
Ali recently landed his first leading role in the sci-fi drama “Swan Song” on Apple TV, and he is scheduled to star in the upcoming Marvel Comics film “Blade.” Ali and his wife received an Emmy for their work as executive producers on the HBO documentary “We are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Fest.”
Ali’s newly acquired home was constructed in the early 1960s and features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, just over 2,100 square feet of living space with parquet and tile floors, high wood-paneled ceilings, and skylights. The front of the rustic wood-shingled building features an attached two-car garage, with steps leading down to a deck and the front entrance.
The main level features a living room with a fireplace and glass walls that connects to a small dining area and a kitchen with stone countertops, a decorative copper range hood, and stainless steel appliances. This floor contains three bedrooms, including a master suite with a tiled bathroom featuring glass-block elements, dual vanities, and a tub/shower combination.
The lower level is ideal for visitors, featuring a bedroom with an attached bathroom, a full kitchen, and a family room with a cozy red brick fireplace and sliding glass doors leading to a balcony. Outdoors, the nearly quarter-acre grounds feature a backyard terrace ideal for dining and lounging in the wooded setting.
Michael Stephens of Corcoran Global Living acted as the listing agent, while Tom Telfer of Pointe Real Estate represented Mahershala.