Mahershala Ali is already winning at life after becoming a father for the first time recently.
Just four days after the birth of daughter Bari Najma, the Moonlight and Hidden Figures star hit the red carpet solo at the 89th Academy Awards on Sunday.
“I’m a special kind of tired right now,” he told E!’s Ryan Seacrest. “It’s amazing, though.”
Ali and wife Amatus Sami-Karim, who wed in 2013, announced the arrival of their baby girl with a sweet Instagram post on Friday along with the caption, “Bari (Bar-ee) Najma Ali 2/22/17 #pisces.”
The new father, 43, beamed as he spoke about his infant daughter — and admitted it’s pretty special for her to arrive as he’s also being honored for his work.
“I’m very grateful,” he said. “It’s been a good time.”
Ali also revealed that his baby girl came a little later than expected: “It worked out. She was late, running late … but she’s here and she’s healthy and we’re happy.”
In December, the father of one, who won Best Supporting Actor, revealed that the couple were expecting with a Instagram post, sharing a photo of himself and Sami-Karim cradling her baby bump.
Throughout this year’s award season, Ali was often accompanied by his pregnant wife, whom he lovingly called a “soldier” for rocking both heels and a baby bump on the red carpet.
“I have a supportive partner who loves me and gets it and has been a soldier throughout this,” he told Entertainment Tonight earlier this month.
This article originally appeared on People.com
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