These Muslim actors just received multiple Emmy nominations

Any actor would be more than happy to receive one Emmy nomination. But a handful of actors have received multiple nods this year, including two prominent Muslims. 

Riz Ahmed and Aziz Ansari both received two Emmy nods, according to Variety. Here's a closer look at these men and their work.

Ahmed was nominated for his performance as the lead actor in the HBO mini-series The Night Of, as well as for his guest role in the HBO series Girls.

The British-Pakistani actor, best known for starring in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, has been vocal about his opposition to negative stereotypes and the typecasting of Muslims in Hollywood. 

"There was a lot of, like, Terrorist No. 3 stuff — I just made a decision I wasn't going to do it. I thought, 'I'd rather be broke'," Ahmed said in June, talking about launching his career.

He explained that while a lot of his early projects deal with issues around the war on terror or Islamophobia (The Road to Guantanamo, The Path to 9/11, Four Lions), they also engage with them in creative ways - ways that Ahmed hopes can help "move us forward rather than doubling down on lazy stereotypes." 

Nominated for acting and writing, Ansari received this Emmy nod for his Netflix series Master of None. In addition to having written the series, Ansari plays the lead character. 

The American-Indian actor is well known for his role Tom Haverford on the NBC series Parks and Recreation and his comedic persona. 

Following the campaign and election of U.S. President Donald Trump, Ansari has become a major advocate for the Muslim American community, strongly criticizing the culture of Islamophobia cultivated by American politicians and many in the media.  

In June of last year, Ansari published an op-ed in the New York Times titled: Why Trump Makes Me Scared for My Family.

"With the presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and others like him spewing hate speech, prejudice is reaching new levels," he wrote. "It’s visceral, and scary, and it affects how people live, work and pray. It makes me afraid for my family. It also makes no sense."

The day after Trump's inauguration, Ansari presented a scathing monologue against the president's Islamophobic rhetoric and policies via Saturday Night Live.

Mahershala Ali (born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore) made history at the 89th Academy Awards in February, when he became the first Muslim actor to ever win at the Oscars. 

Ali was granted the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in the drama film, Moonlight. In his very first Oscar nomination, Ali beat out Hollywood stars Jeff Bridges, Lucas Hedges, Dev Patel and Michael Shannon.

This made him the first person of color to win Best Supporting Actor since 2004 and the fifth black actor to ever take the award.

As Islamophobia becomes more prominent in the U.S., Muslim cultural icons taking prominent awards for their roles in hit films and TV series goes a long way to combat the negative and inaccurate stereotypes.