Michael B. Jordan is a Hollywood sensation. With his great acting skill, brilliant smile and kind heart, it’s no small wonder the handsome star is taking the entertainment industry by storm! Learn more about the famous actor with today’s Hollywood Spotlight. (Image Credit: Cineserie)
Starting in Hollywood
Like many Hollywood movie stars, Michael B. Jordan got his acting start on television. His first role of note was on the acclaimed HBO program, The Wire. Cast as a low-level, teenage drug dealer, the star’s role was small and lasted only the first season (2002). However, his time on the show was met with much praise.
Michael B. Jordan followed his time on The Wire with a recurring role on the soap opera All My Children from 2003-2006. Interestingly, he replaced Chaswick Boseman who later played his cousin and archenemy in Black Panther.
But one of the celebrity’s most memorable roles was on Friday Night Lights from 2009 to 2011. Michael B. Jordan joined the established cast as Vince Howard, a new quarterback. Though the show never placed high in the ratings, it built a loyal fan base. It also drew praise from critics. In fact, many consider the drama to be one of the best written shows in television history.
The Breakout Movie Role
Michael B. Jordan continued to act on television and began to add movies to his resume. However, his breakout performance was surely Creed (2015). The seventh movie in the Rocky franchise follows the life of Adonis Creed, son of Apollo Creed, the rival and friend of Rocky Balboa. In this installment, Michael B. Jordan played the titular character with Sylvester Stallone co-starring. Impressively, Creed is widely considered to be one of the best Rocky movies.
In 2018, the eighth movie in the franchise, Creed II, also enjoyed success. As such, it’s not surprising that a third installment is in the works. And rumor has it Michael B. Jordan will star and direct the film!
An Incredible Supervillain
2018’s Black Panther was a record-breaking movie by all accounts: The ninth highest grossing movie of all time. The biggest February release of all time. The first superhero film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
The movie had a number of stars with impressive resumes including, Lupita Nyong’o, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira and Angela Bassett. But the film’s success was in no small part to Michael B. Jordan’s role as Erik Killmonger, the movie’s supervillain.
Playing a villain was a departure from Michael B. Jordan’s usual characters. But it was a role he was eager to play. The star went through great lengths to prepare to embody the character. In addition to the fitness regimen required for the role’s physicality, he also significantly isolated himself from others. It worked as the pain and darkness he brought to Killmonger was easily perceptible to audiences. In fact, the technique and his dedication worked so well that the celebrity even sought therapy after completing the film!
Ryan Coogler Connection
Over the years, this celebrity built a solid working relationship with Hollywood director, producer and screenwriter Ryan Coogler. Michael B. Jordan starred in Coogler’s first movie, Fruitvale Station (2013). The critically-acclaimed film about the victim of a police-related shooting garnered both Coogler and Michael B. Jordan a number of awards. And it was clear to audiences that these two celebrities worked magic together!
This dynamic duo has now made four movies together, including Creed, Black Panther and Creed II. And fans can only hope they will continue this great pairing.
Some other works of note on this celebrity’s resume include: Parenthood (2010-2011), Hotel Noir (2012), That Awkward Moment (2014), Fantastic Four (2015), and Fahrenheit 451 (2018).
A Giving Celebrity
Since the beginning of his career, Michael B. Jordan has developed a reputation for being family-oriented. In fact, the star’s parents live in his Sherman Oaks home! While some on social media chide the celebrity for his choice of roommates, it just speaks toward his loving nature.
Michael B. Jordan’s mother has lupus, an autoimmune disease. As such, he is an outspoken fundraiser and advocate for lupus-related causes. In 2017, he joined with Lupus LA to create MBJam, a family-fun night designed to raise funds for the charity. This past summer, he hosted his third MBJam with the help of some famous friends like Jamie Foxx and Nick Cannon.
The star credits his parents for his philanthropic heart. Indeed, from a young age, they instilled in him the importance of helping others.
Upcoming Projects
Now that Michael B. Jordan has solidified his footing in Hollywood, he is staying a busy man! He has quite a few movies in the pipeline. Next year, he will help bring a Tom Clancy hit to the screen in Without Remorse. The movie is the origin story of a recurring character in the Jack Ryan universe, John Clark. Michael B. Jordan helms the movie with the lead.
And in 2021, Disney+ subscribers will get a new peek into the Marvel Universe with What If…? The series takes a twisting look at the characters and plots we all know but provides an alternate story. Indeed, how can we have a Black Panther storyline without the menacing Killmonger? As such, Michael B. Jordan will lend his voice to the animated program.
However, in just a few weeks, Michael B. Jordan’s newest movie will hit theaters. In Just Mercy, the star plays a young, Harvard-educated lawyer who works to defend an innocent man. Brie Larson and Jamie Foxx co-star. The film has a limited release on December 25 in select cities. The rest of us will have to wait until January 17, 2020. We hope the time flies by!