Michael B. Jordan

Michael B. Jordan
Jordan at the 2011 NBC-Universal party
Born	Michael Bakari Jordan (1987-02-09) February 9, 1987 Santa Ana, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1999–present
Notable work	Fantastic Four (2015) Fruitvale Station (2014)

Michael Bakari Jordan (born February 9, 1987) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as East Dillon High School quarterback Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights, teenage drug dealer Wallace in The Wire, Reggie Montgomery in All My Children, Steve Montgomery in Chronicle, and Alex in Parenthood. In 2013 he played shooting victim Oscar Grant in the critically acclaimed film Fruitvale Station. He will play the Human Torch in the upcoming 2015 film Fantastic Four. Most recently he co-starred in That Awkward Moment alongside Zac Efron and Miles Teller.

Early life

Jordan was born in Santa Ana, California, to Donna (née Davis), who works at Arts High, and Michael A. Jordan, a caterer.^[1] His middle name is Swahili for "noble promise".^[2] He is the middle of three children with an older sister, Jamila, who works in production, and a younger brother, Khalid, who plays football at Howard University.^[3] Jordan spent two years in California^[4] and then moved with his family to Newark, New Jersey.^[1] He attended Newark Arts High School, where he played basketball.^[1] He had not planned on going into acting and had done some modeling for local companies.^[5] He modeled for Modell's sporting goods and Toys "R" Us.^[6] Despite the end of Friday Night Lights, he still has his apartment in Austin where the show was filmed.^[7]

Career

Jordan launched his career as a professional actor in 1999, when he appeared briefly in single episodes of Cosby and The Sopranos.^[1] His first principal film role followed 2001 when he was featured in Hardball, which starred Keanu Reeves. In 2002, he gained more attention by playing the small but pivotal role of Wallace in the first season of HBO's The Wire. In March 2003, he joined the cast of All My Children playing Reggie Porter (later Reggie Montgomery), a troubled teenager, until June 2006. Jordan was released from his contract from the soap after three years due to lack of airtime, and last aired on June 5, 2006.^[8]

Jordan's other credits include guest starring appearances on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,^[9] Without a Trace and Cold Case. Thereafter, he had a lead role in the independent film Blackout and also starred on a sitcom called The Assistants on The-N. In 2008, Jordan appeared in the music video "Did You Wrong" by R&B artist Pleasure P. In 2009, he guest-starred on the popular TV Spy show Burn Notice in the episode "Hot Spot", playing a high school football player who got into a fight and is now being hunted by a local gangster. In 2010, he guest-starred in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Inhumane Society" as a boxer involved in a Michael Vick-inspired dog fighting scandal.

In 2009, Jordan began starring in the NBC drama Friday Night Lights as quarterback Vince Howard for two seasons until the show ended in 2011.^[10] In 2010, he was considered one of the 55 faces of the future by Nylon Magazine's Young Hollywood Issue.^[11][12] That year, he landed a recurring role on the NBC show Parenthood playing Alex (Haddie Braverman's love interest).^[13] This marked his second collaboration with showrunner Jason Katims, who was in charge of Friday Night Lights. BuddyTV ranked him #80 on its list of "TV's Sexiest Men of 2011".^[14] Jordan voiced Jace in the Xbox 360 game, Gears of War 3.^[15]

In 2012, Jordan appeared in the George Lucas-produced movie Red Tails^[16] and played one of the leads in Chronicle, a film about three teenaged boys who develop superpowers.^[17] He also guest-starred in an episode of House‍‍ '​‍s final season, playing a blind patient.^[18] In 2013, Jordan starred as shooting victim Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station, directed by Ryan Coogler. His performance was well received, with The Hollywood Reporter film critic Todd McCarthy writing that he reminded him of "a young Denzel Washington".^[19] Following his stint in Fruitvale Station, Jordan was named one actor to watch by People and Variety.^[20][21] Time named him with Coogler one of 30 people under 30 who are changing the world and he was also named one of 2013's Breakout Stars by Entertainment Weekly and GQ.^[22][23][24] He lent his voice to Cyborg in the animated superhero adventure Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.^[25]

In 2014, he co-starred in That Awkward Moment, with Zac Efron and Miles Teller.^[26] In April 2013, Jordan joined the cast of Josh Boone's Pretenders.^[27] In July 2013, Jordan was announced to portray the son of Apollo Creed in the Rocky spinoff Creed with his Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler and Sylvester Stallone.^[28] Jordan is also set to star as the Human Torch in the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four.^[29][30][31]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael B. Jordan.

• Michael B. Jordan at the Internet Movie Database
• Michael B. Jordan on Twitter
• Michael B. Jordan on Facebook