Michael B. Jordan clinched his first Oscar for his dual role in the vampire fable ‘Sinners’, triumphing over a field of Hollywood heavyweights.
HOLLYWOOD: Michael B. Jordan won the best actor Oscar for his performance in the vampire race fable ‘Sinners’. He triumphed over frontrunner Timothee Chalamet and other nominees including Leonardo DiCaprio.
The 39-year-old actor secured the award for his portrayal of twin World War I veterans confronting evil in 1930s Mississippi. His victory places him among a select group of Black actors to have won the prestigious best actor Oscar.
“I stand here because of the people who came before me,” an emotional Jordan told the audience. The film was a box office success, largely credited to his compelling dual performance.
Director Ryan Coogler has featured Jordan in all of his films, crafting complex roles for the actor. Their collaboration began with the 2013 drama ‘Fruitvale Station’.
It continued through the ‘Creed’ franchise and the Marvel blockbuster ‘Black Panther’. Coogler says Jordan’s success in tough roles is a “testament to his charisma”.
“As soon as you put the camera on him, you just naturally care about the guy,” Coogler told The New York Times last year. He credited the director with giving him the confidence to overcome industry obstacles.
Jordan’s career began with television roles, including a stint on HBO‘s ‘The Wire’ at age 15. He transitioned to film with roles in ‘Red Tails’ before his breakthrough partnership with Coogler.
In recent years, Jordan has expanded into producing and directing. He directed the third ‘Creed’ film and is set to direct and star in a new adaptation of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’.
He described himself to GQ as a “workaholic” whose longest relationship lasted a year. Jordan has also been open about attending therapy to shed the demons of his ‘Black Panther’ villain role.
Looking ahead, the actor has expressed a desire to direct a project in which he does not appear. “I’m looking forward to directing something that I’m not in at all,” he told Vanity Fair earlier this year.
The Sun Malaysia
