Michael B Jordan has won the best actor Oscar for his role in Sinners, placing him in an exclusive club of only six black actors to have ever won the award. He joins Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Jamie Foxx and Will Smith, with Poitier being the first for Lilies of the Field in 1964.
In his acceptance speech, Jordan acknowledged his predecessors and his supporters, saying: “I know you guys want me to do well, and I want to do that because you guys bet on me, so thank you for keeping betting on me.” The win came despite Timothée Chalamet being the frontrunner after winning the Golden Globe, but Jordan’s success at the Actors awards hinted at his victory.
Jordan, 39, began his career in Newark, New Jersey, where he was bullied for sharing his name with the basketball legend. His mother Donna helped him get into acting after a suggestion at age 11 that he should consider modelling. His former drama teacher recalled: “He’d ask me, ‘How can I do better at an audition? Do you have any audition material for me?’ He was a tremendous worker.”
His breakout role as Wallace in The Wire was followed by Fruitvale Station, his first collaboration with director Ryan Coogler. That film, about the real-life killing of Oscar Grant, proved his ability to lead a story addressing larger themes. He then moved into genre films with the Creed franchise, taking over £600m at the box office, and later played Killmonger in Black Panther, sparking debates about British Museum artefacts.
Jordan’s relationship with Coogler, now spanning five films, has been compared to that of De Niro and Scorsese. Sinners grossed over £300m globally, surpassing rival One Battle After Another. Jordan is seen as the African-American movie star of his generation, capable of leading franchises, fronting Calvin Klein campaigns, and winning sexiest man alive awards while delivering captivating performances.
