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The Stellar Journey of Michael B. Jordan – A Filmography 

The Stellar Journey of Michael B. Jordan – A Filmography 
  • PublishedOctober 6, 2024

Michael B. Jordan is not the first person we would typically associate with anime fans who still reside with their parents. So, how did a die-hard nerd become Hollywood’s hottest celebrity? This is the cinematic journey of Michael B. Jordan.

From “Creed” to “Killmonger,” Michael’s filmography has been part of some of entertainment’s most beloved franchises, and his meteoric rise to the top began in the early years. 

The Early Years of Michael B. Jordan 

Michael B. Jordan was born on February 9, 1987, in Santa Ana, California, and in case you were wondering, no, he wasn’t named after the basketball player, and the ‘B’ stands for Bakari, a Swahili word meaning ‘noble promise.’ 

His mother Donna, a high school guidance counsellor, and Father Michael A. Jordan, a Marine veteran turned caterer, moved Michael and his two siblings to Newark, New Jersey, when he was two years old. This is where they encouraged the future star to find his talents through extracurricular activities like tap dancing. 

Michael B. Jordan Appearance as Child Actor

After hiring an agent, Michael’s career began as a child model, appearing in print ads for Toys ‘R’ Us and Modell’s Sporting Goods before making a leap to acting. 

When Michael was twelve, he made his on-screen debut in a 1999 episode of “Cosby,“ followed by a bit part in “The Sopranos“ as a bully who terrorized young Tony.

Michael in The Sopranos

Michael appeared in his first movie two years later, acting opposite Keanu Reeves in the baseball drama “Hardball,“ but it was on the small screen where he continued to perfect his craft, including a role in a legendary TV series that put him on the map.

When Michael auditioned for David Simon’sThe Wire,“ he was originally hoping to play Bodie, but the casting director felt the 16-year-old was too old for the part. Instead, she offered him the small role but pivotal role of Wallace, a member of Bodie’s Pit crew whose tragic involvement in the drug trade leads to his untimely death. 

Much to his shock, Michael only found out about Wallace’s demise a week before the shoot, and his reaction wasn’t all that different from D’Angelo Barksdale’s.

Michael in Early 2000s – “All My Children,” “Friday Night Lights

Michael B. Jordan in Friday Night Lights
Michael B. Jordan in Friday Night Lights

After “The Wire,“ Michael landed the role of Reggie Montgomery on the soap opera “All My Children,“ although he wasn’t the first actor to play the role. He was actually a replacement for his future “Black Panther“ nemesis, Chadwick Boseman.

But after two years, Jordan left the show to explore different kinds of drama, “Friday Night Lights,“ where he starred as quarterback Vince Howard in the show’s final seasons, and “Parenthood,“ a 2010 reboot of the same show that was a big break for Leonardo DiCaprio in the’ 90s.

Jordan appeared in several other TV shows and movies including:

  • Black and White
  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
  • Blackout
  • Without a Trace
  • Burn Notice
  • Cold Case
  • Pastor Brown
  • The Assistants

Michael had become a familiar face to TV fans, but it was the big screen where he finally started his mainstream career.

Michael’s Mainstream Career

In 2012, Michael co-starred in ‘Chronicle,’ a found footage superhero movie that gave the young actor his first taste of comic book glory. He was considered for the role of Harry Osborn in Sony’s “Amazing Spider-Man“ series, but after losing out on the part, he made a far bigger splash by starring in “Fruitvale Station.“

In this critically acclaimed drama, Jordan played Oscar Grant, a young Black man who was killed by police in Oakland, California. Jordan’s performance was raw and emotional, and he received widespread praise for his portrayal of Grant.

Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station
Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station

The film centers around the last day in the life of Oscar Grant, a real-life victim of a 2009 police shooting in Oakland. The tragedy earned rave reviews from critics around the world with some heralding Jordan as the next incarnation of Denzel Washington. More importantly, it introduced the actor to Ryan Coogler, the director of two films that elevated Jordan from an ‘I know that guy’ to bona fide mega star.

Before that, though, Jordan reunited with his “Chronicle“ collaborator Josh Trank to play Johnny Story his ill-fated “Fantastic Four“ movie. The box-office bomb didn’t hurt Michael too badly, because the same year, he starred in “Creed,“ Ryan Coogler’s brilliant soft reboot of the ‘Rocky’ franchise.

Related: Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Best Roles

Michael B. Jordan in Creed

To play Adonis Creed, the troubled son of Rocky’s rival who struggles with his father’s legacy, Michael had to gain 24 pounds of muscle. And since he didn’t have a body double, the actor also had to learn how to box, which came in handy for the incredible match that was shot in one, uncut take. 

Jordan featured in the May 2018 version of Ray Bradbury’s classic “Fahrenheit 451,” which received largely negative reviews. The outcome did not dampen the actor’s ambitions, as he stated that he would make his directorial debut with an adaptation of the novel The Stars Beneath Our Feet and produce the World War II drama Liberators, about the all-African American 761st Tank Battalion.

Michael B. Jordan in 'Fahrenheit 451'
Michael B. Jordan in Fahrenheit 451

Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger

With his violent new bod, it was only a matter of time before Jordan returned to the world of superheroes, only this time, it was part of a game-changing film that’s forever altered the way we think about comic book movies, “Black Panther.

Playing the ruthless mercenary villain with a tragic backstory, Jordan challenged Wakanda’s ancient traditions and forced T’Challa to answer for injustices faced by Black people around the world. As Killmonger, Michael’s skin was covered in ritual scars, which required 90 separate prosthetics to apply, and a two-hour soak in a sauna to remove.

Killmonger’s look was completed with a blue costume that bore a suspicious resemblance to Vegeta’s armor from ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ which probably wasn’t a coincidence, considering that Jordan is a massive, outspoken anime fan.

And thanks to his spectacular success, I’m sure he’s got a sizable collection at his new house in Los Angeles, which he currently shares with parents, so he can be closer to his mother as she battles with Lupus.

Michael B. Jordan & Outlier Society Productions

Jordan is doing his best to give back to Hollywood, too, in 2016 he formed his own company called Outlier Society Productions. He’s vowed to incorporate inclusion riders in order to give other underrepresented talent the same chance he got.

First, Amazon Studios production announced a release date for Jordan’s high-octane thriller “Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse.” The picture, which Amazon bought from Paramount Pictures in 2020, and was available globally on Prime Video on April 30, 2021. As per Variety, Jordan said:

“Bringing Outlier Society’s slate of film, television and multi-media content all under the same roof is an exciting next chapter for us,”

Jordan made his directorial debut in 2023 with “Creed III” which received critical acclaim. He appeared alongside Tessa Thompson, who played Bianca again, and Jonathan Majors, who played a former childhood friend. 

Michael B. Jordan’s Recent Appearances

Apart from the Michael B. Jordan is a highly acclaimed actor with an impressive body of work. He has played a variety of roles over the years, showcasing his range and versatility as an actor.

Another notable role was in the film “Just Mercy“, where he played Bryan Stevenson, a civil rights attorney fighting for the release of a wrongly convicted death row inmate. Jordan’s performance in the film was powerful and emotional, earning him critical acclaim. The movie was based on Stephenson’s memoirs.

Michael B. Jordan in Just Mercy

Jordan has also appeared in several other films, including, “That Awkward Moment“. While some of these films were less successful critically, Jordan’s performances were still praised.

His 2021 films include Denzel Washington’s A Journal for Jordan and “Without Remorse,” an adaption of a Tom Clancy novel and reboot of “Space Jam: A New Legacy.”

We also saw Jordan in “A Journal for Jordan” co-starting with Chanté Adams and Jalon Christian.

In 2023, Jordan joined another Ryan Coogler film “Wrong Answers.“ an actual story of how Atlanta high school educators became involved in a complex, systemic standardized-test cheating scam in 2013.

This won’t be the first time we’ll see Coogler teaming up with Michael for an action film.

Michael B Jordan’s Upcoming Projects

As of 2024, apart from this there are also a couple of films in pre-production with release dates yet to announce, “The Thomas Crown Affair,“ “Rainbow Six,“ “Creed IV,“ “I Am Legend 2,“ and “Sinners,

From his origins in sitcoms and soaps, to changing the game with ‘Creed’ and Killmonger, it didn’t take Michael B. Jordan long to reach the top. 

His career has only just begun, and there is not limit to what he can achieve in the future. 

Sources:

Wikipedia Contributors. “Michael B. Jordan.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jordan.

IMDb. “Michael B. Jordan.” https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0430107/

Bauer, P. (2024, September 15). Michael B. Jordan. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/facts/Michael-B-Jordan

Biography.com Editors. (n.d.). Michael B. Jordan [Biography]. Biography.com. https://www.biography.com/actors/michael-b-jordan

Written By
Kammil Sarbuland

Kammil Sarbuland is a writer and a storytelling artist with a profound love for all things pop. As a writer, Kammil weaves narratives that plunge readers into different realms.

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