Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Lights, Camera, Victory: Michael B. Jordan Wins Best Actor
Lights, Camera, Victory: Michael B. Jordan Wins Best Actor
On Mar. 15, Michael B. Jordan, the man who shines like “Herald Loomis,” as Viola Davis once said, won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. This is Jordan’s first Oscar, marking a pivotal moment in his career. Amid discussions surrounding his talent and the setbacks he has faced, Jordan has proven that his dedication to his craft makes him deserving of the award.
The competition this awards season was stiff, with Jordan nominated alongside acclaimed actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Ethan Hawke.
“Mike did just an incredible amount of work developing a physical language for who each twin is,” “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler said.
However, Jordan’s performance in the highly acclaimed horror film “Sinners,” in which he portrays twins Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack,” demonstrated how dynamic an actor he has become and solidified his case for the accolade.
“For me, it was seamless. I was never confused. His whole energy was different when he was Stack and when he was Smoke. His cadence and how he walked were different,” supporting actress Wunmi Mosaku said.
In an interview backstage with Deadline after the ceremony, Jordan shared his personal technique for studying a character in preparation for a role. The process reflects the level of dedication required to be an award-winning actor.
“I write a lot of journals for my characters, like backstories. I try to go from the earliest memory that I can conjure up and write all the way to the first page of the script. It gives me an opportunity to figure out where they’re coming from,” Jordan said.
Due to the competitive nature of Hollywood, skill alone is not always enough. The odds were stacked against Jordan. This was both his first nomination and first win, and he was the only Black man nominated in the category.
Only five Black men before Jordan had won the Oscar for Best Actor: Sidney Poitier (1964), Denzel Washington (2002), Jamie Foxx (2005), Forest Whitaker (2007) and Will Smith (2022).
“I stand here because of the people who came before me: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, Will Smith. To be among those giants, those greats, my ancestors and my peers. Thank you to everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting me throughout my career,” Jordan said.
Despite barriers rooted in racial prejudice, Jordan took home several accolades during awards season, including honors from the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. He also won multiple honors at the NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture.
Amid praise for Jordan’s talent is a reminder that he, like many Black people, has faced racism. Before the SAG Awards, an incident occurred at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Film Awards in which Jordan was called a racial slur by John Davidson. Davidson has Tourette syndrome and has dedicated his career to advocating for those with the condition. He served as executive producer of the film “I Swear,” which won several awards at the BAFTAs.
During the ceremony, Davidson experienced vocal tics related to Tourette syndrome that caused him to involuntarily make several inappropriate comments. This led to the outburst of the N-word while Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for Special Visual Effects. Although the comment was not intentional, its impact was significant.
“BAFTA had made us all aware that any swearing would be edited out of the broadcast. I have made four documentaries with the BBC in the past and felt that they should have been aware of what to expect from Tourette’s and worked harder to prevent anything that I said, which was some 40 rows back from the stage, from being included in the broadcast,” Davidson said.
On Feb. 23, BAFTA issued a public statement addressing the gravity of the incident, its nuance regarding Davidson’s condition and, most pertinently, its impact on Jordan and Lindo.
“Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them and to all those impacted. We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism,” BAFTA said.
Despite receiving a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the BAFTAs, Jordan’s moment there was overshadowed. Since that night, the Oscars have provided a space for him to reclaim his presence and be celebrated as he continues to triumph despite setbacks during this awards season.
On Mar. 15, Michael B. Jordan, the man who shines like “Herald Loomis,” as Viola Davis once said, won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. This is Jordan’s first Oscar, marking a pivotal moment in his career. Amid discussions surrounding his talent and the setbacks he has faced, Jordan has proven that his dedication to his craft makes him deserving of the award.
The competition this awards season was stiff, with Jordan nominated alongside acclaimed actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Ethan Hawke.
“Mike did just an incredible amount of work developing a physical language for who each twin is,” “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler said.
However, Jordan’s performance in the highly acclaimed horror film “Sinners,” in which he portrays twins Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack,” demonstrated how dynamic an actor he has become and solidified his case for the accolade.
“For me, it was seamless. I was never confused. His whole energy was different when he was Stack and when he was Smoke. His cadence and how he walked were different,” supporting actress Wunmi Mosaku said.
In an interview backstage with Deadline after the ceremony, Jordan shared his personal technique for studying a character in preparation for a role. The process reflects the level of dedication required to be an award-winning actor.
“I write a lot of journals for my characters, like backstories. I try to go from the earliest memory that I can conjure up and write all the way to the first page of the script. It gives me an opportunity to figure out where they’re coming from,” Jordan said.
Due to the competitive nature of Hollywood, skill alone is not always enough. The odds were stacked against Jordan. This was both his first nomination and first win, and he was the only Black man nominated in the category.
Only five Black men before Jordan had won the Oscar for Best Actor: Sidney Poitier (1964), Denzel Washington (2002), Jamie Foxx (2005), Forest Whitaker (2007) and Will Smith (2022).
“I stand here because of the people who came before me: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, Will Smith. To be among those giants, those greats, my ancestors and my peers. Thank you to everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting me throughout my career,” Jordan said.
Despite barriers rooted in racial prejudice, Jordan took home several accolades during awards season, including honors from the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. He also won multiple honors at the NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture.
Amid praise for Jordan’s talent is a reminder that he, like many Black people, has faced racism. Before the SAG Awards, an incident occurred at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Film Awards in which Jordan was called a racial slur by John Davidson. Davidson has Tourette syndrome and has dedicated his career to advocating for those with the condition. He served as executive producer of the film “I Swear,” which won several awards at the BAFTAs.
During the ceremony, Davidson experienced vocal tics related to Tourette syndrome that caused him to involuntarily make several inappropriate comments. This led to the outburst of the N-word while Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for Special Visual Effects. Although the comment was not intentional, its impact was significant.
“BAFTA had made us all aware that any swearing would be edited out of the broadcast. I have made four documentaries with the BBC in the past and felt that they should have been aware of what to expect from Tourette’s and worked harder to prevent anything that I said, which was some 40 rows back from the stage, from being included in the broadcast,” Davidson said.
On Feb. 23, BAFTA issued a public statement addressing the gravity of the incident, its nuance regarding Davidson’s condition and, most pertinently, its impact on Jordan and Lindo.
“Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologize unreservedly to them and to all those impacted. We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism,” BAFTA said.
Despite receiving a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the BAFTAs, Jordan’s moment there was overshadowed. Since that night, the Oscars have provided a space for him to reclaim his presence and be celebrated as he continues to triumph despite setbacks during this awards season.