He began taking acting classes in his junior year at St. Mary's College in Moraga, California (just east of Berkeley). In his senior year, he had a featured role in the school's production of "Spunk". The summer after his graduation, Ali made his professional stage debut performing for a season with the California Shakespeare Festival in Orinda, California, where he also served as an apprentice. Soon after, he was accepted into grad school at New York University, where he received a master's degree in acting.