Michael B. Jordan is the sexiest man alive (well, he was officially in 2020 and he still is unofficially in our hearts). But he’s also a super talented actor and overall interesting human being. You could just believe us, but these Michael B. Jordan facts prove it.
Because the guy we love to hate (only because he made trouble for our beloved Black Panther) is way more than just a pretty face or rockin’ bod. Although we’re still cheering when he takes his shirt off on-screen.
There’s so many other fun facts about this actor-turned-director of Creed III.
Beyond portraying a movie villain, Jordan has made a name for himself with roles in everything from blockbuster smash hits like the Creed series to a variety of thrillers, comedies, and action films.
We’re positive that even the biggest super fan can learn something new about the leading man from this trivia.
Unless you’re an even bigger stalker than us, in which case…we’re scared. And impressed. Want to go for a boba after this?
16 Fascinating Michael B. Jordan Facts
1. His first role was on The Sopranos.
Blame the Mandela effect for this one, but most fans think his first role was in The Wire. It wasn’t. Although that did launch his career, he appeared on The Sopranos when he was just 12 years old.
He was only in one episode (“Down Neck,” Season 1, Episode 7), but clearly had the star power to deserve more screen time. Good for actors, not great for toddlers.
2. He took tap dancing lessons.
A guy who can dance is a hot commodity. Just ask Tom Holland. And, Zendaya.
Tap dancing is no joke, so it may impress you to find out that Jordan took tap dance lessons. But his favorite part was getting out of school early. If we ever have to return to school, we’ll pick the one that lets you out of algebra class to learn how to do jazz hands.
3. People think he was named after the basketball player.
Contrary to popular belief, not everyone names their children after famous athletes. Even though there was a successful basketball player of the same name, Michael B. Jordan was named after his father. Who, no, is not the basketball player.
Also, did you know the name Michael is one of the most popular names of all time? Get your head in the game. Or…out of it.
4. The “B” stands for Bakari.
In spite of the super basic first name, Jordan’s middle name is anything but. The “B” doesn’t stand for Brian or Brad, but instead Bakari, which means “promising” in Swahili.
Here’s a bonus fun fact (fact #4.2 for those who are counting): he added the “B” to distinguish himself from the basketball star. And, we can only assume, because the Instagram handle was already taken.
5. His mom set his career in motion.
During a 2015 interview, he revealed that his mom was the one to ignite his career as an actor. She took him to his first commercial audition.
In his mind at the time, it was just yet another scam to get out of school early. Who bullied you in high school, Michael? Asking for a friend. :attaches Hulk hands:
6. He told his mom not to come on a certain day of shooting.
Spoiler for The Wire ahead.
While Jordan was filming “The Wire” at 15 years old, there was a scene where his character is killed. He asked his mom not to come because he didn’t want her to get upset.
We love the thoughtfulness. And now we wonder how she feels about his villain streak.
7. Has starred in all of director Ryan Coolger’s films.
It’s the ultimate compliment as an actor if a director wants you in every single one of their feature-length films. Jordan scored himself roles in all Coolger’s movies: Fruitvale Station, Creed, and both Black Panther films.
We’d usually have a comment about the importance of sharing, here. But more Michael on screen, the merrier.
8. He’s a big anime and comics buff.
As a self-proclaimed nerd, Jordan digs anime and comics. If you follow him on social media, you’ll see him reference these things often.
If you follow us on social media, you’ll become well-acquainted with meme culture. That’s it. That’s the pitch.
9. Jordan lent his voice to a video game.
The nerd dynamics continue. Jordan also lent his voice to the video game Gears of War 3. If you listen carefully, you may hear him. When the game’s on, that is.
Do you hear voices in your head too? Dolly Parton, what are you doing here?
10. He almost quit acting.
As with many careers, people commonly fail a whole bunch before succeeding. Jordan got rejected by a lot of agencies before finding success.
Andre Royo, who also starred on The Wire, helped him snap out of it and shake off the “no’s.” It’s hard to imagine anyone saying “no” to MBJ, but hot people have problems too, we’re told.
One essential element to not giving up is having courage in the face of adversity. Another is having the right people in your corner who uplift you during seasons of doubt. Thank God for Andre Royo who encouraged Michael B. Jordan to keep going. #dontquitthursdays #madeformore pic.twitter.com/1WZlGTPlwR
— MadeForMoreEntertainment (@MadeForMoreEnt) January 20, 2022
11. He was considered for a role in the Spider-Man franchise.
Jordan was almost cast as Harry Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The role ended up going to Dane DeHaan. But Marvel obviously decided to save him for later, eventually casting him as Killmonger in the Black Panther franchise.
That reminds us of the Oreo we stored in our back pocket for later. Mmmm, cookie crumbles.
Your man Michael b Jordan having some McDonalds pic.twitter.com/QZnHQFLe0H
— michael b jordan archive (@mbjarchived) March 11, 2018
12. He bought his parents a house.
Not only did Jordan buy his parents a house, he also lived there for a bit. Maybe one told him about the whole “put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others” thing, but we’re pretty sure it’s fine in this case.
13. Michael B. Jordan was nominated for four awards while on All My Children.
Did you know that he was once on a soap opera? He didn’t win any of the three NAACP Image Awards and one Soap Opera Digest Award he was up for, but sometimes it’s just nice being nominated.
Other times you shoot eye-daggers at the guy who beat you out. On a scale of one to petty, how are you feeling today?
14. He actually got knocked out while filming Creed.
Jordan actually got KO’d while filming Creed, and his co-star Sylvester Stallone was the one who blabbed that to the world. Occupational hazards, and all that. And we thought paper cuts were bad.
15. He was a Toys “R” Us kid.
Before becoming an actor, Jordan was a child model for Toys “R” Us and Modell’s sporting goods. Now knowing that, we can’t believe they shut down. Maybe they should have asked him to come back?
16. Jordan was in a movie adaptation of a classic book.
Remember reading “Fahrenheit 451” in school? Jordan helped bring this story to life in 2018. And then the world fell apart and we got to experience it all first-hand. Who was supposed to bring the popcorn?
She has been published by Scary Mommy, Baby Chick, All About the Mom, and BestColleges. You can often find her writing on her phone or battling her kids' hangry moods with bacon and Cookie Monster impressions. Being a writer and stay-at-home mom can get pretty crazy, but coffee sure helps. At least she gets to wear unicorn or dinosaur leggings whenever she wants to!
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