Oscar winner Mahershala Ali has given his Instagram followers a treat by posting a sweet photo with his month-old baby girl Bari Najma Ali. Father and daughter share a tender moment in the picture, with little Bari sitting on her dad’s knee and the Moonlight actor placing a loving hand on her back. Mahershala wrote “Bari x Abu” with a heart motif under the photo. Fans were quick to comment on the adorable snap, with one writing, “Congratulations on the beautiful baby,” and another posting, “Ahh congratulations to you and your wife! Way better and more rewarding than any Oscar any day!” Mahershala had previously shared a photo with his wife, artist Amatus Sari-Karim, cuddling Bari.
The 43-year-old, who scooped the Best Supporting Actor Oscar last month for his role in hit movie Moonlight and is the first Muslim to win an Academy Award, is clearly smitten with his beautiful daughter. Tiny Bari Najma Ali was born just four days before the award ceremony, so it was a busy week for the family. On the red carpet before the Oscars, Mahershala said to E! Presenter Ryan Seacrest: "I'm a special kind of tired right now. It's amazing though. I'm very grateful … [she was born on the] 22nd and now we are here. She was running late and was supposed to be here the 13th so we started getting concerned but she is here and healthy."
READ: Mahershala Ali becomes a dad and wins an Oscar all in the same week
Mum Amatus Sari-Karim with new baby girl Bari Najma Ali on Instagram
The 2017 Oscars in now infamous for the Best Picture announcement mix-up between films La La Land and Moonlight, with Moonlight finally revealed as the winners. Mahershala gave a heartfelt speech when accepting his award – also his first nomination – thanking his wife for her support. He said: “And lastly I want to thank my wife, who was in her third trimester during awards season. We just had a daughter four days ago. I want to thank her for being such a soldier through this process... and really carrying me through it all. Thank you, I really appreciate it. Peace and blessings."