Michael B. Jordan Did the Impossible

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Michael B. Jordan casually entered the hotel’s wine cellar, apparently oblivious to the fact that, given his character as a vampire in his current film, the atmosphere might have been a tad too obvious. It was a Monday afternoon in May, and outside, midtown Manhattan enjoyed a delightful 73-degree weather, but our windowless meeting room kept us from the sun. As I glanced over the rows of red liquid-filled bottles adorning the walls, a waiter appeared to inquire if Jordan would care for a drink. “Do you offer lemon-ginger tea?”, he inquired.

Recently, Jordan had returned from London, where he was in the early stages of production for a new take on the classic romantic heist movie, “The Thomas Crown Affair”. This project, which he’s been working on for over a decade as both star and producer, is now being directed by him at Amazon MGM Studios. Additionally, he had completed a promotional tour for his latest film, “Sinners”, a successful vampire thriller that grossed $341 million. The movie generated numerous discussions about race, cultural appropriation, and sexuality, much like the intense debates sparked by Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” eight years ago when it introduced the concept of “the Sunken Place”.

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In our initial encounter, Jordan presented himself like an athlete at a post-match interview, adorned in a loose-fitting T-shirt and baggy trousers. Despite the clothing, his muscular shoulders, bulging biceps, and confident stance were clearly visible. The global promotional tour for Sinners has led him to various destinations; when I enquired about his favorite locations, he casually mentioned a few vague spots: “Mexico City is always enjoyable, they have a strong affinity for movies. Atlanta is also entertaining. Brazil is another place.” He was polite but guarded, stating that revealing the least amount about himself fuels curiosity.

Despite their successful collaboration with director Ryan Coogler, resulting in a series of highly profitable films such as “Fruitvale Station”, “Creed”, “Black Panther” and its sequel “Wakanda Forever”, the initial response from Hollywood towards the success of their joint project, “Sinners”, was rather frosty. Critics and studio executives seemed surprisingly eager to question the movie’s box-office performance. The New York Times played down its $46 million in opening weekend North American ticket sales by labeling it as having a “big asterisk”. Variety emphasized in a viral post that “profitability is still a ways away”, referencing the film’s high production and marketing costs. One executive cautioned Vulture that the unique production agreement between Warner Bros. and Coogler, where Coogler gains ownership rights after 25 years, could potentially disrupt the traditional studio system.

In the entertainment sector, caution and frugality dominate currently. Attendance at theaters hasn’t bounced back from its pandemic-induced plunge, and domestic film production seems to be in a downward trend. Yet, it’s astonishing that Sinners managed such success given these circumstances. According to Ben Fritz, who writes about the industry for The Wall Street Journal, there’s a sense of resentment and frustration in Hollywood: “Why do they get to produce an original movie for $100 million?

The accumulated factors have led to a growing perception that Michael B. Jordan’s stardom has been undervalued. Stars like Glen Powell, who was mentored by Tom Cruise and gained recognition in films like “Hit Man” and “Twisters”, are often seen as if they were born 25 years too late, yet they could have easily fit alongside the movie stars of past decades such as Harrison Ford and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Timothée Chalamet has become a constant Gen-Z heartthrob due to his Oscar nominations and roles in blockbuster franchises like “Dune”. Paul Mescal has garnered attention from paparazzi as a heartthrob while maintaining credibility as an actor, despite the underperformance of “Gladiator II” questioning his movie-star status. In contrast, Michael B. Jordan is seldom discussed in conversations about the future of the industry. Film critic Noah Gittell wrote in 2024, “Why is Glen Powell considered the actor who will save movie theaters instead of Michael B. Jordan, who has starred in numerous blockbusters but lacks opportunities outside of franchise films?” Matt Belloni, a Hollywood columnist for Puck, noted that the film “Sinners” helps Jordan gain serious consideration as a “real” movie star because, prior to this, he had not been in anything successful that was not based on intellectual property.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d put it like this: Ryan Coogler made it clear about Jordan’s unique appeal. “I’ve been fortunate to create films for a worldwide audience,” he shared with me. “Mike is now one of my friends, but let’s not confuse things. What I’m searching for is something exceptionally scarce – I need movie stars.” According to nearly 47% of respondents in an exit poll conducted during the opening weekend of Sinners, Jordan’s name was the primary reason they chose to watch the movie on the big screen.

Without a doubt, Jordan presents himself admirably for the role. At 38 years old, he embodies a youthful, Black, charming, subtly political yet not excessively militant persona – making him an excellent fit to ease the apprehensions of the film industry following the events of George Floyd. During our conversation, he was barely conscious of any criticism surrounding Sinners, stating “I didn’t read the articles or know who wrote them.” In between promoting Sinners and preparing for Thomas Crown, Jordan admitted that he had been spending minimal time outside the world. However, he was aware of supporters such as Ben Stiller, who publicly criticized the coverage in Variety on social media platforms. Soon after, Tom Cruise expressed his admiration for Jordan and declared him as his successor in the spotlight.

Is it possible for Michael B. Jordan to keep up the momentum of his success without Ryan Coogler, given the current uncertainty in Hollywood regarding its relationship with Black A-list actors? His directorial debut, “Creed III,” was a hit at the box office, earning $276 million worldwide and being praised as an impressive first installment of the Rocky series without Rocky himself. He has several upcoming projects lined up, including “I Am Legend 2” and an adaptation of Tom Clancy’s “Rainbow Six,” as well as plans for a fourth Creed movie. Similar to established leading men like Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, and Leonardo DiCaprio, Jordan aims to be more than just a star; he wants to become a mogul with a varied business portfolio. As Alison Willmore of Vulture wrote last year, achieving this goal necessitates controlling the means of production. Having a production company, Outlier Society, not only serves as a platform for his own projects but also acts as a workshop for their development. Jordan is also involved in various other endeavors such as brand ambassadorship, philanthropy, and sea-moss-beverage entrepreneurship. When I asked him about his diverse interests, he compared it to playing chess, implying that it’s not just a pastime but a strategic long-term game.

The storyline of Sinners revolves around a pact similar to Faust’s. Brothers Smoke and Stack, portrayed by Jordan’s characters, come back to the Mississippi Delta in 1932 after earning money working for Al Capone in Chicago. They decide to establish a juke joint, but on its inaugural night, it attracts a diverse crowd of mostly Black revelers, immersed in a surreal, blues-induced celebration. However, an unexpected group of white vampires knock on their door, seeking entry. In exchange for both financial resources and “fellowship” – an escape from racial discrimination under Jim Crow – they propose. Yet, the true conditions of this deal gradually surface: The white ghoul leading the vampires, Remmick (played by Jack O’Connell), aims to utilize the power of blues music to connect with his ancestors. To achieve this, he plans to absorb the Black musicians and businessmen into his undead army, robbing them of their humanity and disconnecting them from their culture. A violent standoff follows; Stack gets bitten and transformed into a vampire, leaving Smoke with the agonizing choice between preserving his life or sharing immortality with his brother.

Jordan delivers a powerful double act. He fully embraces his captivating physique as Smoke, the quieter and more somber of the two characters, who carries the weight of the world and the wounds he’s sustained in it. Jordan likened Smoke to “the still” one, who doesn’t move much, whose pain was palpable. He described a void in his chest for Smoke, portraying him as the elder, weary of keeping pace with Stack, his talkative younger brother. In contrast, Jordan brings out his charisma and energy through Stack. He mentioned wearing tight shoes to keep Stack active, stating that he wanted them to walk differently and have distinct body language.

As a movie enthusiast, I can attest that Destin Daniel Cretton, the director behind Jordan in 2019’s “Just Mercy,” compared Jordan’s work ethic to that of a relentless athlete. Each take he performed seemed to fuel his determination to excel even further. This tenacity is palpable in his most compelling roles. In “Creed,” for instance, he portrays Donnie, the orphaned son of a legendary boxer who spent his youth bouncing between juvenile detention centers and channeling his anger on the underground fight circuit. As he trains under Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa to challenge the current light-heavyweight champion, Donnie embarks on a romantic journey with a singer grappling with hearing loss – a narrative element that underscores the deep well of tenderness and kindness hidden beneath his hardened exterior, a result of his tumultuous childhood.

A similar undercurrent runs through Jordan’s portrayal of Erik Killmonger in “Black Panther.” As the villain seeking to rule the advanced African nation of Wakanda, he aims to arm oppressed Black people with its cutting-edge technology. However, his motivations run deeper and are more poignant: His father, the late king’s brother, was slain by Wakandan agents, forcing Killmonger to grow up estranged from his ancestral homeland. This tragic backstory explains why he is compelled to fight – not for grandiose reasons, but to heal the wounds inflicted by his past.

Jordan’s physical attributes are perfectly tailored for portraying empathetic characters who endure hardship, rise again, and retaliate. His gentle facial characteristics evoke memories of his adorable tough-guy roles from shows like “The Wire” and “Friday Night Lights,” while simultaneously stirring feelings in readers of the 2020 “Sexiest Man Alive” issue of “People” magazine, such as, “I could heal him.” Before meeting Jordan, I inquired a friend about their opinion. “Do you find him attractive?” she clarified helpfully.

It’s no secret that Jordan’s success is due not just to his inherent talents, but also his strategic approach and self-discipline. At the time of his breakout role in Creed, his attitude wasn’t as strict – the film was a smart move, but he still appeared somewhat unrefined, especially off-screen and away from the gym. Two months before the movie’s release, in September 2015, Jordan was featured in an article by GQ. The initial part of the article recounts a dinner at an exclusive restaurant on the Lower East Side, where Jordan, who was 28 at the time, retaliated for being made to wait by sticking gum under the table. He went on to drink too many tequila-and-cucumber cocktails, acknowledging his drunkenness, and later, during a visit to his hometown in Newark, New Jersey, he described his childhood in stark terms that required his mother to clarify them later. He fondly recalled his days as a street racer in the style of Fast and the Furious, which, if he were a young white actor from an earlier era, might have been glamorized as mere youthful exuberance.

However, despite being relatively mild compared to other instances of celebrities behaving immaturely, Jordan appeared to sense that he had been exposed in a less-than-professional moment. “There’s a valuable lesson here,” he shared with me, admitting, “I’ve learned it.

The lesson additionally covered the importance of knowing whom to rely on and being more cautious in discussions. During a 2018 interview for a Vanity Fair article, he voiced apprehension about being profiled by a white journalist. “There exists an unspoken understanding between people of color,” he shared with the magazine. “When you engage with journalists and writers who are attempting to observe from the outside, their interpretation of what they believe you’re trying to convey doesn’t always align.

Jordan exhibits a cautious demeanor when questioned by reporters, regardless of their racial background. Similarly, his social media posts maintain this guardedness. Denzel Washington once cautioned him about the dangers of excessive exposure. Speculation over his romantic life has become background noise for Jordan; any woman seen with him is likely to spark rumors, but he’s only publicly acknowledged dating Lori Harvey from 2020 to 2022. He described his decision as impulsive: “There was no real planning behind it,” he shared with me. “At that moment, I was like, ‘Eh, whatever.'” This spontaneity is uncommon for Jordan, who views himself as a thoughtful and considerate individual, meaning he knows when to speak up and, perhaps more importantly, when to stay silent.

In our chat, if a delicate subject emerged, it became apparent that Jordan’s behavior shifted – he started taking longer pauses and providing less clear responses. He opted not to comment on the allegations surrounding Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is currently facing charges for sex-trafficking, racketeering, and prostitution. Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, a former girlfriend of Combs and key witness in his trial, alleged that they had a romantic involvement in 2015, which supposedly led to Combs threatening Jordan over the phone. This connection between Jordan and Ventura was raised during jury selection, not long before our encounter, along with around 189 other individuals. (Jordan has yet to publicly acknowledge his relationship with Ventura.)

Jordan has openly expressed his readiness to collaborate with Jonathan Majors again, who was previously convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment following an incident involving his ex-girlfriend after filming “Creed III.” Further reports have emerged about Majors’ behavior being harsh and aggressive on other sets, which Majors has refuted. When I asked Jordan how he might reassure a doubtful crew member about working with Majors, he admitted that the topic hasn’t crossed his mind yet because they don’t currently have a project in progress. “I can’t provide a thoughtful response to that question at this time,” he said.

Discussions about Majors’ legal issues often imply that his career was on an exceptional rise in Hollywood. An exceptionally talented actor with potential to headline franchises, he gained recognition for his role in the 2019 film “The Last Black Man in San Francisco“, which led to an HBO series, “Lovecraft Country“, and a role in Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” as Kang. However, Majors has now joined other promising Black male A-listers who have either experienced career downturns or stagnation. The death of Chadwick Boseman is a unique tragedy, affecting not only Jordan (who worked with him in “Black Panther“) but also the industry, which lost a powerful talent with cultural significance and box-office success. Other actors like Anthony Mackie, John Boyega, and John David Washington have faced commercial failures or career stagnation, while LaKeith Stanfield has been in two of the best American films of the past decade – “Sorry to Bother You” and “Judas and the Black Messiah“, neither of which were box-office hits. Daniel Kaluuya is the only Black leading man who comes close to matching Jordan’s blend of critical acclaim and commercial success. As one of the few consistently bankable Black A-list actors, Jordan carries a significant responsibility to ensure he doesn’t squander it.

Seven years ago, I enlisted a videographer to chronicle my journey. “The purpose,” I said, “was to help me appreciate the moments more, as I’m usually busy or engrossed in work.” Nowadays, the filming isn’t as frequent – I promoted my original videographer to assistant director on Creed III, then to associate producer on Thomas Crown. The role wasn’t about confessionals or reality-TV-style storytelling. Instead, it was about pressing RECORD and observing, with the aim of creating a family archive that might one day help my nieces and nephews understand why Uncle Mike is often absent, or show my great-grandkids, when I’m gone, a glimpse into where they originated from. Although the public may never see this footage, it clearly captures a man who sacrificed significant time and perspective in pursuit of stardom.

The reason behind Jordan’s former ambition to work tirelessly before turning 30 and then leave Hollywood forever was due to a dilemma he faced. As he put it, “I feel like I’ve missed out on a lot in life.” He added, “I’m not complaining, but finding the right balance between personal and professional matters has always been challenging for me.

In 2024, Warner Bros. found itself in a precarious situation when they acquired Ryan Coogler’s script for the film Sinners. At the peak of the pandemic, the studio had released Christopher Nolan’s movie, Tenet, simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters, which was against his strong protests. This move made Nolan incredibly upset; he decided to take his subsequent project, eventually becoming his Oscar-winning masterpiece Oppenheimer, to Universal, essentially saying goodbye to the studio that had distributed all of his films since 2002’s Insomnia. This incident became a significant blow to Warner Bros.’ reputation, once known as one of the most supportive studios for artists.

Following the underperformance of films like “Joker: Folie à Deux” from last year and “Mickey 17” in March, it was reported in March that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was interviewing for potential replacements for Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca, who were overseeing the studio at that time. However, this was denied by a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Discovery: “The report of an imminent leadership change at the studio is not accurate.”

As the release date for their upcoming film, “Sinners,” approached during Easter weekend, Abdy and De Luca were under pressure to deliver a success. They had faith in Coogler, whom they viewed as a unique talent, on par with Steven Spielberg. At only 39 years old, Coogler has already achieved significant critical and commercial success with his first five films.

As a movie enthusiast, I recall discussing “Sinners” with De Luca, who mentioned it was one of our least risky projects for this year. Jordan played a crucial role in its success. Five years ago, it would’ve been conventional to use the phrase “diversity” when talking about Warner Bros. Discovery’s investment in him – how it was a significant step forward for Black representation, demonstrating their dedication to amplifying Black voices. However, the focus has shifted to emphasize Jordan’s universal appeal, as Abdy put it, “Men like him; women like him.”

The wave of enthusiasm that propelled movies like “Moonlight” to an Academy Award for Best Picture, Jordan Peele to become a successful auteur, and Zendaya to reportedly earn one of the highest salaries among Black actresses in TV has noticeably subsided. This shift mirrors the waning interest of affluent white liberals, the group that largely influences studio executives, as Fritz, a reporter from the Wall Street Journal, explained.

With the Trump administration taking a hard stance against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, there’s a sense of unease across the entertainment industries.

Jordan explained to me that “At times, things are at their loudest right at the start of anything, particularly in terms of media attention and conversations.” He suggested that the movement behind Black-led projects from around 2016 to 2020 might seem to have slowed, but we should make the most of this current wave. Once it subsides, another wave will follow, he expressed optimism, adding “You know?” as if it’s self-evident.

There’s general consensus among Hollywood critics that Jordan is long overdue for an Academy Award nomination. Belloni, a columnist from Puck, even questioned if he had already been nominated for Fruitvale. (He hadn’t.) In its detailed analysis of which aspects of Sinners deserved Oscar recognition, Vanity Fair specifically praised Jordan’s performance as “possibly his best work.” Variety, following the criticism it received over its coverage of Sinners’ box-office earnings, stated that “Jordan, unfairly passed over for Fruitvale Station and Black Panther, now deserves Oscar recognition.

12 years ago, I was filled with doubt about my acting career, uncertain if I was destined for TV or the big screen. “Was this all there was for me? Where would I end up?” I yearned for a chance to prove myself, to showcase my abilities and confirm whether I could carry a film as a lead actor. Just then, my agent sent me the script for Fruitvale Station, which I read in tears on a flight from South Africa to Los Angeles. A few days later, I met Ryan Coogler, who believed in me and saw me as a movie star. He wanted to demonstrate my talent to the world and create a film with me.

In this context, it can be rephrased as: Mike’s team considers him naturally fit for the role of a leading man. As stated by Phillip Sun, Jordan’s agent and manager, “Mike is undoubtedly a leading man.” He just so happens to be Black, but we weren’t only pursuing roles based on skin color. We aimed for every opportunity.

The transition into directing has proven beneficial for him, as it often puts him one step ahead of potential issues that may arise on a film set. When speaking about his role in the movie “Sinners,” he explained, “This time around, my main contribution on the set was providing Ryan with an additional perspective.” He continued, “Knowing that he’s preparing for certain close-ups, I would quickly check with makeup to ensure my hands were already prepared with the necessary blood effects. This way, when he arrives, I am ready to begin without delay.

It’s fitting that he would select this stage in his career to take on the role of Thomas Crown. The elusive and enigmatic billionaire art thief, earlier depicted by Steve McQueen and Pierce Brosnan, is as aloof and mysterious a character as one can find – a businessman grappling with a multitude of crises yet maintaining his composure. Jordan’s calmness in navigating his personal struggles, such as the mounting responsibilities that come with being constantly in demand, stems from his years of expertise. “I was too young to portray that character” when the chance first presented itself about 13 years ago, he noted. Now, however, “I’m at the right point in my career.

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2025-06-02 14:55