Top 5 Facts About Michael B. Jordan
He's blowing up right now, so you'd be wise to keep an eye on this talented thespian! From his tap dancing skills to his past as a Toys “R” Us model, WatchMojo is counting down the most interesting need-to-know facts about Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan.
#5: He Made Time Magazine's List of the 30 People Under 30 Changing the World
In 2013, Michael B. Jordan took on his most ambitious project to date, when he accepted the lead role in “Fruitvale Station”. Based on true events, the film depicts the hours leading up to the death of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old African-American man fatally shot by a Bay Area Rapid Transit officer during an altercation in Oakland, California on New Year’s, 2009. Jordan’s participation in the film helped raise awareness about police brutality, and Time honored him in 2013 as one of their 30 People Under 30 Changing the World.
#4: He Modeled for Toys “R” Us
Based on his on-screen talent, you may be inclined to believe that acting was Michael B. Jordan’s first and only passion. But that’s not so. The future “Creed” star got his start as a pre-teen, modeling for businesses like Modell’s Sporting Goods and retail giant Toys “R” Us. In fact, Jordan only go into acting after his manager asked him if it was something he’d be interested in trying. After going many months with no callbacks, things didn’t look very promising; but he stuck with it, and later landed a recurring role on the acclaimed series “The Wire”.
#3: He Can Tap Dance
In a 2013 interview with the Huffington Post, Jordan revealed that, in his younger years, he took tap dancing lessons. The “Black Panther” star cites his mother as the reason for his foray into this form of artistic expression, claiming that she coaxed (or forced) him into it. Whether or not we will ever see him show off his softshoe skills in a film or TV show remains to be seen, but if his acting chops are in any way reflective of his dancing ability, you can bet we will be watching with great interest!
#2: He’s Really Into Anime
As if we needed yet another reason to like this guy! The actor is a self-professed collector of manga and graphic novels and has a very special place in his heart for anime. He regularly tweets about it and, when asked, has said that the country he most loves going to is Japan, and that “Anime . . . is the best.” With multiple superhero flicks under his belt (he played The Human Torch in 2015’s “Fantastic Four”) and that deep-seated love for anime and comic books, we can’t wait to see what TV and film projects Jordan tackles next.
#1: He’s Neither Related to, Nor Named After, the Other Michael Jordan
Despite sharing a moniker, Michael B. Jordan and basketball legend Michael Jordan are in no way, shape or form related. In fact, the former “Friday Night Lights” star has never even met His Airness! (At least, not yet.) Many might be inclined to assume that he was named after the iconic former NBA star, but that’s also not true at all! Michael B. Jordan was actually named after his father: Michael A. Jordan. The B. initial in his name stands for Bakari, a Swahili word which means “noble promise”. He continues to use it to differentiate himself from hoops MJ.
