Michael B. Jordan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael B. Jordan
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Jordan in 2025
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Michael Bakari Jordan
February 9, 1987 Santa Ana, California, U.S.
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| Education | Newark Arts High School |
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| Years active | 1999–present |
| Awards | Full list |
Michael Bakari Jordan ( bah-KAR-ee; born February 9, 1987) is a talented American actor, producer, and director. He is well-known for his exciting roles in movies and television shows. Many people consider him one of the most influential people in the world. He has received several awards for his acting and producing work.
Jordan first became famous on television. He played Wallace in the first season of the HBO crime drama series The Wire (2002). He also starred in the ABC soap opera All My Children (2003–2006) and the NBC sports drama series Friday Night Lights (2009–2011).
His big breakthrough in films came when he played Oscar Grant in Ryan Coogler's movie Fruitvale Station (2013). He earned even more praise for his roles in Coogler's other films, including Creed (2015), Black Panther (2018), and Sinners (2025). Jordan also played Donnie Creed again in Creed II (2018) and Creed III (2023). Creed III was also his first time directing a movie.
Beyond acting and directing, Jordan is also a co-owner of the Premier League soccer club AFC Bournemouth.
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Early life and education
Michael Bakari Jordan was born on February 9, 1987, in Santa Ana, California. His parents are Donna and Michael A. Jordan. He has an older sister and a younger brother. His family lived in Santa Ana for two years before moving to Newark, New Jersey, where Michael grew up. He went to Newark Arts High School, where his mother worked as a teacher. He also enjoyed playing basketball there.
Career highlights
Early acting roles (1999–2012)
Jordan started his career as a child model for different companies, including Modell's Sporting Goods and Toys "R" Us. He began acting professionally in 1999 with small appearances in TV shows like Cosby and The Sopranos. His first main film role was in Hardball (2001), which starred Keanu Reeves. In 2002, he gained more attention for his important role as Wallace in the first season of HBO's The Wire.
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In 2003, he joined the cast of All My Children, playing Reggie Montgomery, a teenager facing challenges. He stayed on the show until 2006. Jordan also made guest appearances on popular shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Without a Trace, and Cold Case. From 2009 to 2011, Jordan starred in the NBC drama Friday Night Lights as quarterback Vince Howard. He played this character for two seasons. In 2010, he had a recurring role on the NBC show Parenthood. Jordan also lent his voice to the character Jace in the Xbox 360 game Gears of War 3. In 2012, he appeared in the film Red Tails and played the main character, Steve Montgomery, in Chronicle, a movie about three teenage boys who develop amazing powers.
Becoming a star (2013–2018)
In 2013, Jordan starred as Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station, directed by Ryan Coogler. His performance was highly praised by critics. After this role, he was recognized as an "actor to watch" by many magazines. Time magazine even named him one of 30 people under 30 who were changing the world.
In 2015, he played Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, in Fantastic Four. Later that year, Jordan received great reviews for his role as Donnie Creed, the son of the famous boxer Apollo Creed, in the movie Creed. This was his second time working with director Ryan Coogler. Jordan trained very hard for a year to prepare for his role as a boxer, following a strict diet and intense physical workouts. He performed his own stunts in the fighting scenes.
In 2018, Jordan starred as the villain Erik Killmonger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Panther. This was his third collaboration with Coogler. His performance as Killmonger was widely praised, with many critics saying he was a standout in the movie. Later in 2018, Jordan starred in Fahrenheit 451, a television film for HBO. That same year, he returned as boxer Adonis "Donnie" Creed in Creed II, which was a big success at the box office.
Current projects and directing (2019–present)
Since 2019, Jordan has continued to take on important roles and expand his work behind the camera. He voiced the character Julian Chase in the animated series Gen:Lock (2019–2021), which he also helped produce. Jordan played the real-life attorney Bryan Stevenson in the legal drama Just Mercy (2019), a film he also produced. He starred as John Kelly in the action movie Without Remorse (2021).
Jordan also returned to his Marvel role as Erik "Killmonger" Stevens in two episodes of the animated series What If...? (2021) and made a cameo appearance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). He starred in A Journal for Jordan (2021), directed by Denzel Washington. In 2023, Jordan made his directorial debut with Creed III, where he also produced and starred as Donnie Creed. He also worked with Ryan Coogler again on the period horror film Sinners (2025), playing twin brothers.
Jordan has plans to work with Coogler again on a film called Wrong Answer. He also has plans to direct, produce, and star in a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, and is expected to star in the vampire film Blood Brothers. Jordan is also involved in producing and starring in the sequel to I Am Legend with Will Smith.
Personal life and interests
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Jordan has lived in Los Angeles since 2006. He grew up in a religious family and considers himself a spiritual person. He is a big fan of anime, and his favorite series include Naruto: Shippuden and the Dragon Ball franchise. Having grown up in Newark, New Jersey, he is a lifelong supporter of the New York Giants football team. He also supports the Premier League soccer club Everton FC.
Michael B. Jordan looks up to actors like Tom Cruise and Will Smith, admiring how they built successful global careers. He has also sought advice from them. Jordan also names directors like Ryan Coogler, Steven Spielberg, and Christopher Nolan as his influences in filmmaking.
Sports ownership
In December 2022, Jordan was announced as a part-owner of the English soccer club AFC Bournemouth. He is part of a group called the Black Knights Football Club, which took over the club. Jordan also invested in the Alpine F1 Team, a Formula 1 racing team, alongside other actors like Ryan Reynolds.
Images for kids
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Jordan at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival
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See also
In Spanish: Michael B. Jordan para niños
