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Jamal in Hardball (2001)
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Wallace in The Wire (2002)
HBO
Elba laterraved about his former costar.“Seeing him as one of the leading movie stars in the world makes me very proud,” he said, before jokingly taking credit for Jordan’s success: “My character had to off his character, and he went off into a different stratosphere … I kind of think, if I didn’t do that, he might not be [so successful].”
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Reggie Montgomery in All My Children (2003-2006)
Virginia Sherwood/ABC
“I was playing this role not knowing that a lot of the things I was going through were because of what [Boseman] had already done for me,” Jordan toldThe Wrapduring a 2019 interview withboth actors. “It’s hard to speak in the moment abouthow things we do can affect other people. But this is a pure example, right here on the spot — we ain’t never talked about this before a day in our lives — to understand how what people do now can directly affect what other people do in the future.”
04of 12Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights (2009-2011)NBCThe star hit the football field as East Dillon High’s quarterback for the acclaimed series' two final seasons. Jordan toldThe Hollywood Reporterin 2011 that one of the things he would miss most about filming the show was doing his own stunts.“The feeling that I had commanding those guys on the offense and being the quarterback and shooting everything myself and how everyone responded to me … to be Vince in that moment was something that I’ll never forget,” he recalled.
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Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights (2009-2011)
NBC
The star hit the football field as East Dillon High’s quarterback for the acclaimed series' two final seasons. Jordan toldThe Hollywood Reporterin 2011 that one of the things he would miss most about filming the show was doing his own stunts.
“The feeling that I had commanding those guys on the offense and being the quarterback and shooting everything myself and how everyone responded to me … to be Vince in that moment was something that I’ll never forget,” he recalled.
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Alex in Parenthood (2010-2011)
Byron Cohen/NBC
Jordan appeared on the NBC drama for two seasons as Haddie Braverman’s boyfriend Alex, who eventually breaks her heart.
After he left the show, his movie career took off.
06of 12Steve Montgomery in Chronicle (2012)20th Century FoxChronicleexceeded expectations when it made $22 million opening weekend, and gave the star his first break into the superhero genre. Playing Steve Montgomery was a stepping stone to go on and play the Human Torch, a.k.a. Johnny Storm, inFantastic Four, and supervillain Erik Killmonger inBlack Panther.
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Steve Montgomery in Chronicle (2012)
20th Century Fox
Chronicleexceeded expectations when it made $22 million opening weekend, and gave the star his first break into the superhero genre. Playing Steve Montgomery was a stepping stone to go on and play the Human Torch, a.k.a. Johnny Storm, inFantastic Four, and supervillain Erik Killmonger inBlack Panther.
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Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station (2013)
The Weinstein Company
The role also connected Jordan toRyan Coogler, for whom the film was his directorial debut. The two would later reconnect to add their imprint on theRockyfranchise and Marvel universe.
08of 12Adonis Johnson in Creed (2015)MGMRyan Coogler tapped the star to play Adonis “Donnie” Johnson, who heads to Philadelphia to convince his late father’s friendRocky Balboato train him to become a champion. Jordan also starred as Adonis inCreed IIand is not only starring in but also directing the thirdCreedfilm.
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Adonis Johnson in Creed (2015)
MGM
Ryan Coogler tapped the star to play Adonis “Donnie” Johnson, who heads to Philadelphia to convince his late father’s friendRocky Balboato train him to become a champion. Jordan also starred as Adonis inCreed IIand is not only starring in but also directing the thirdCreedfilm.
09of 12Erik Killmonger in Black Panther (2018)MarvelLike a perfect storm, Ryan Coolger and Chadwick Boseman reappeared in Jordan’s life to gift the world the 2018 megahitBlack Panther. The Marvel film became the highest grossing movie of the year with $1.3 billion and made alasting impact on pop culture. It was also thefirst superhero film to get nominated for Best Pictureatthe Oscars.Two years after the film’s release,Boseman died of colon cancerat 43. The devastating loss rocked Jordan, whoshared a heartfelt tributeto his “big brother” on Instagram.“I’m more aware now than ever that time is short with people we love and admire. I’m gonna miss your honesty, your generosity, your sense of humor, and incredible gifts,” Jordan wrote. “I’ll miss the gift of sharing space with you in scenes. I’m dedicating the rest of my days to live the way you did. With grace, courage, and no regrets. ‘Is this your king!?’ Yes . he . is! Rest In Power Brother.”
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Erik Killmonger in Black Panther (2018)
Marvel
Like a perfect storm, Ryan Coolger and Chadwick Boseman reappeared in Jordan’s life to gift the world the 2018 megahitBlack Panther. The Marvel film became the highest grossing movie of the year with $1.3 billion and made alasting impact on pop culture. It was also thefirst superhero film to get nominated for Best Pictureatthe Oscars.
Two years after the film’s release,Boseman died of colon cancerat 43. The devastating loss rocked Jordan, whoshared a heartfelt tributeto his “big brother” on Instagram.
“I’m more aware now than ever that time is short with people we love and admire. I’m gonna miss your honesty, your generosity, your sense of humor, and incredible gifts,” Jordan wrote. “I’ll miss the gift of sharing space with you in scenes. I’m dedicating the rest of my days to live the way you did. With grace, courage, and no regrets. ‘Is this your king!?’ Yes . he . is! Rest In Power Brother.”
10of 12Bryan Stevenson in Just Mercy (2019)Warner BrosForJust Mercy, Jordan portrayed a real-life superhero fighting for racial justice:Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer who has worked tirelessly toward freeing wrongfully convicted inmates from death row and reforming the criminal justice system in America.Stevenson’s bestselling 2014 memoirJust Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemptionwas the basis for the inspirational film, which won Jordan the outstanding actor in a motion picture award at the 2020 NAACP Awards.
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Bryan Stevenson in Just Mercy (2019)
Warner Bros
ForJust Mercy, Jordan portrayed a real-life superhero fighting for racial justice:Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer who has worked tirelessly toward freeing wrongfully convicted inmates from death row and reforming the criminal justice system in America.
Stevenson’s bestselling 2014 memoirJust Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemptionwas the basis for the inspirational film, which won Jordan the outstanding actor in a motion picture award at the 2020 NAACP Awards.
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John Clark in Without Remorse, 2021
Paramount Pictures
The Prime Video filmwas Jordan’s first foray into the Tom Clancy universe — and his casting marked the first time a Black man played Clark.
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Charles King in A Journal for Jordan
Chanté Adams and Michael B. Jordan inA Journal for Jordan(2021).Sony Pictures
“I’ve usually kind of strayed away from love stories in the past,“Jordan toldPaula Ngon of:BLACKPRINT, the Black employee affinity group for Dotdash Meredith. Citing his age and life experiences as deterrents, Jordan added that he feared he couldn’t “tap into real emotions in that type of way that could really connect with the character.” (Spoiler: He did!)
source: people.com
