'Green Book' Exclusive Clip: Mahershala Ali Shows Off His Piano Skills In The Crowd-Pleasing Oscar Contender

Odds are, you’ve probably already heard quite a bit about the film “Green Book,” which expands nationwide just in time for Thanksgiving. The film, which stars Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, tells the true story of a white bouncer-turned-driver that acts as a bodyguard for the highly-respected Black pianist, Dr. Don Shirley, as they embark on a concert tour through the Deep South in 1962.

READ MORE: ‘Green Book’: Mahershala Ali & Viggo Mortensen Road Trip Through The Jim Crow South [TIFF Review]

And in honor of the film’s nationwide expansion, we are happy to present our readers with an exclusive clip from the drama. In the clip, the focus is on Dr. Shirley, as he is challenged by a local bartender to impress her with his musical ability. After being talked up quite a bit by Tony Lip, it’s up to Dr. Shirley to prove why he is being called “the greatest piano player in the world.”

In addition to the great scene from the film, there’s an introduction from Octavia Spencer, as she explains what made her want to be part of the film. No, Spencer doesn’t star in “Green Book.” Instead, the Oscar-winning actress took a behind-the-scenes role on the film, acting as producer. In the clip, Spencer talks about the lovely relationship between Lip and Dr. Shirley and why it makes for one of the best films of the year.

READ MORE: 16 Must-See Movies For November: ‘Favourite,’ ‘Widows,’ ‘Beale Street’ & More

“Green Book” is in theaters now, and will surely be talked about quite a bit when awards season kicks into high gear. So, if you’re a fan of world-class acting, along with an incredible true story, you can’t really go wrong with this film.

Here’s the synopsis:

Academy Award® nominee Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises, The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Academy Award® winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight, Hidden Figures) star in Participant Media and DreamWorks Pictures’ Green Book. In his foray into powerfully dramatic work as a feature director, Peter Farrelly helms the film inspired by a true friendship that transcended race, class and the 1962 Mason-Dixon line. When Tony Lip (Mortensen), a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger—as well as unexpected humanity and humor—they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime.