# Oscar-Winner Magazine Editorials GQ Features 'Moonlight' Star Mahershala Ali on its July Cover By Ell Smith | Published 2017-06-20 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gq-features-moonlight-star References: [fashionista](https://fashionista.com/2017/06/kim-kardashian-kkw-beauty-projected-14-million-dollars) & [gq](http://www.gq.com/story/mahershala-ali-moonlight-and-america) [GQ](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nba-allstar-collection-1) features 'Moonlight' Star Mahershala Ali on its July cover, in a cheery, beach-clad editorial that's keeping the internet buzzing. Wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt and radiating from ear-to-ear, the Oscar winner, who was launched into [Hollywood](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/persol) fame after receiving a plethora of awards for his role in 'Moonlight,' uses this editorial as a platform to promote love and tolerance in a politically and racially charged America. The GQ spread features Ali in a variety of colorful outfits -- all tropical in nature -- posing with the gorgeous water-side geography California has to offer. Through the editorial, Ali is profiled by Carvell Wallace, who writes about his experience meeting the award-winning actor through his own personal lens. He describes Ali as looking "in real life the way old MGM movies made leading men look on-screen," a description which is encapsulated throughout the sun-soaked and chic photoshoot. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.4/10 - Popularity: 1% | Activity: 2% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Celebs](https://www.trendhunter.com/celebs) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Celebrity Magazine Editorials:** Opportunity for brands to collaborate with celebrities on magazine editorials to promote their products and brand values. - **Promoting Love and Tolerance:** Opportunity for brands to leverage celebrities to promote messages of love and tolerance in socially charged environments. - **Colorful and Tropical Fashion:** Opportunity for fashion brands to showcase colorful and tropical outfits inspired by beach-clad editorial spreads. ### Where This Applies - **Fashion:** Fashion brands can collaborate with celebrities for editorial spreads to increase brand visibility and promote their latest collections. - **Publishing:** Publishing companies can capitalize on the popularity of celebrity editorials to attract readers and advertisers to their magazines. - **Entertainment:** Opportunity for entertainment industry to leverage celebrity editorials to promote movies, TV shows, or music releases. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Celebrity-Backed Luxury Menswear Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luxury-menswear-campaign.md) - [Redefined Masculinity Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tough-guys-soft-sweaters.md) - [Local Hotspot Fashion Shoots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heartbeat-campaign.md) - [Cinematic Fashion Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alessandro-micheles.md) - [Aluminum Travel Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/monos-aluminum-collection.md) - [Film Awards-Inspired Playing Cards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/film-awardsinspired-playing-cards.md) - [Actor-Backed Electric Automobile Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-rise-of-electric.md) - [Coastal Heritage Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oak-bluffs.md) - [Luxe Formal Menswear Campaign](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/louis-vuitton-ss26.md)