Michael B. Jordan is an expert in the boxing ring. In 2015, he played Adonis “Donnie” Johnson in “Creed,” a spinoff of the “Rocky” film franchise.
However, for the upcoming third installment of the series, Jordan is not only the star but also the director, a challenge he says pushed him beyond his personal limits.
“I put myself in a position where I had to sink or swim,” Jordan told Gayle King of CBS News. “I had to flee that—my past, my inner demons, my insecurities, and my fears. And I tried to hold a mirror to that throughout the film.”
Jordan has previously stated that long-time collaborator and director Ryan Coogler inspires him. He questioned whether he could direct like Coogler and has since discovered that he can.
“Right now, I’m in my light. This is Jordan’s year “He stated. “That’s what I mean. This is the year for me. So much is going on, so many blessings, so many wonderful things. This is at a point in my career when I don’t have many people telling me ‘no.'”
“Everything’s wide open now,” he says.
As Jordan’s career progresses, the Newark, New Jersey native is also focusing on giving back and bringing attention to HBCU basketball. Jordan is the driving force behind the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, an HBCU basketball showcase that allows student-athletes from historically black colleges and universities to showcase their skills on nationally televised games.
Jordan, a former basketball player with a passion for the sport, said he created the event to “level the playing field” and bring attention and funds to HBCUs. Jordan plans to grow the event by bringing in more college scouts and sponsors.
Jordan’s new chapter also includes moving on from his high-profile breakup with model Lori Harvey last year. The two made their relationship public on social media in early 2021 before calling it quits in June.
“What’s for you is for you,” Jordan stated emphatically. “And coming out of that situation, not giving it any energy and kind of moving from that, it was an experience for me to grow and learn.”
