“Moonlight” star Mahershala Ali to play two roles in "Alita: Battle Angel"

PanARMENIAN.Net - Oscar winner Mahershala Ali has just revealed that he will play more than one part in "Alita: Battle Angel". At the Oscar celebration on Sunday, February 26, the actor told the press that he would play two roles in the live-action movie based on Yukito Kishiro's manga, AceShowbiz reports.

"I'm really excited about 'Alita: Battle Angel'," said the actor who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in "Moonlight". "I actually play two parts in that film. That was a blast. I literally wrapped that maybe two weeks ago," he added.

Ali didn't give further details about the roles he would play in the movie. However, it has been known that he will portray a villain named Vector. His second role, meanwhile, has not been announced yet.

"Alita: Battle Angel" imagines a post-apocalyptic world in 26th century, where society endures technological dark age after a massive war. The story focuses on Alita, a cyborg with an organic human brain and an artificial body. She's rescued from junkyard by a scientist who later becomes her surrogate father and helps her explore her mysterious past.

Other cast members include Rosa Salazar as the titular character, Michelle Rodriguez as Gelda, Jennifer Connelly as one of the film's villains, Jackie Earle Haley as a monstrous cyborg, Christoph Waltz as Doctor Dyson Ido, Ed Skrein as Zapan and Keean Johnson as Hugo.

The live-action movie is directed by Robert Rodriguez and produced by James Cameron. Although the movie has finished filming, it needs quite long time to build extensive visual effects which include plenty of CG and cyber body modifications.

The movie is set to hit U.S. theaters on July 20, 2018.