Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan have now made five films together, beginning with Coogler’s directorial debut, 2013’s Fruitvale Station, and continuing with Creed, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the current awards contender, Sinners. Over that span, Jordan expanded his resume to include producing and, in 2023, made his directorial debut with Creed III.
However, the newfound multi-hyphenate focused solely on acting when he reunited with Coogler on Sinners. It was no small task, considering he was playing identical twins Smoke and Stack, brothers in 1930s Jim Crow-era Mississippi who return to their hometown to open a juke joint only to confront a growing vampire presence that begins turning the town’s residents one by one (including – spoiler alert! – one of the twins).
Key Insights
- Michael B. Jordan says his work on Sinners taught him that real creative breakthroughs happen when you fully trust your director and focus solely on performance.
- Jordan advises actors to push beyond their comfort zones, as he did playing twins Smoke and Stack, to separate themselves from past roles and grow their range.
- Through Sinners, Jordan emphasizes that deep character preparation, including understanding childhood trauma and relationship dynamics, is what gives actors the confidence to embrace uncertainty on set.
“I think one of the big things that Ryan wanted from me in this movie was to actually take my director’s hat off and to just worry about the characters and to act, knowing that I had a little bit extra on my plate this time around with Smoke and Stack, and Vampire Stack,” Jordan said at a press conference attended by Casting Networks. “He knows I multitask, and he wanted me to solely focus on performance, and that’s what I did.”
The focus paid off. Jordan’s performance has earned major recognition, including best actor nominations at the Critics Choice, Golden Globes and the upcoming Screen Actors Guild and Academy Awards.
Jordan credited his long-standing relationship with Coogler as a key reason the collaboration continues to deepen. “I think the closer we got over the years, it strengthened our ability to communicate and execute and be creative, and created those safe spaces to push one another,” he explained. “He knows when to push and to nudge and to move me outside of my comfort zone. For me, knowing his cues and understanding a look … non-verbal communication is extremely strong. It makes our relationship dynamic that much more effective when we’re making movies.”
Taking on the twins proved to be the most challenging roles of his career, in a production he described as demanding across the board. “I wanted to push myself beyond my comfort zone and do something a bit different,” he said. “And how many opportunities do you get to play identical twins? I wanted to do something that separated myself from my other characters and performances in a big way, and this was that for me.”
Preparation began with a deep dive into both brothers’ shared childhood trauma, which he called “the crux of who these guys were.” Smoke internalized his pain, the actor explained, and moved through the world with restraint, often acting as the caretaker of the two. Meanwhile, Stack masked his hurt with charm and bravado, talking his way into or out of just about anything.
“I was about trying to dive into those corners of these characters and carve them out and make them feel very strong on their own,” he said. “I think we all are shaped by the things that happened to us as we were kids, and sometimes we address those things, and sometimes we bury those things deep, and we don’t talk about them or revisit them at all. And for Smoke and Stack, they handled them two different ways.”
His preparation also included speaking with identical twins to better understand the nuances of their bond, including how that dynamic plays out in romantic relationships. That’s because Smoke and Stack both have love interests in the film — estranged wife Annie and jilted ex-girlfriend Mary, both of whom are critical to the story.
“If you’re dating one, you’re dating both of them,” Jordan explained of his findings. “So you’re signing up for a lot, and it definitely takes a special woman to deal with Smoke and Stack.
Jordan praised the actresses playing Annie and Mary, Wunmi Mosaku and Hailee Steinfeld, calling them “incredible scene partners” that further enhanced his own performance.
“This film gave me the opportunity to do my best work,” he stated.
For Jordan, acting at this level means embracing the unknown. He described the craft as “going right up to the cliff, to the edge of uncertainty … and then jumping off,” even when the outcome is outside one’s control. Preparation, he added, is essential: know the characters inside and out so thoroughly that you’re prepared for anything.
“That uncertainty keeps you on your toes and keeps you locked in,” the actor said.
What no one was certain of was the scale of the film’s success. Sinners earned 16 Oscar nominations, a record for a single film, and became a box-office hit.
“Hopefully it’s encouraging and inspiring to other filmmakers and other creatives out there to take a big swing on something that probably a lot of people said no to, or [was told it] was not a good idea,” said Jordan. “Follow your gut, follow your instinct, make it personal, and people will show up. That was a big takeaway.”
It’s a philosophy he plans to carry forward as he continues building his own directing career, which includes the upcoming remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, followed by a fourth installment of Creed.
“I’ve always been one to bet on myself and to take chances and risks,” he said. “I think doubling down on your ambitions and your big ideas, no matter how weird or unpopular they may be — go for it. Build a world that you see for yourself. If you’ve got the goods, people will come.”
Key Takeaways
- From his long partnership with Ryan Coogler, Jordan’s advice is to build lasting creative relationships that allow for honest communication and artistic risk.
- After stepping away from directing to focus purely on acting in Sinners, Jordan encourages actors to remove distractions and give their full energy to the craft when the role demands it.
- Jordan’s biggest lesson from Sinners is simple but bold: bet on yourself, follow your instincts, and take big swings even when others doubt the idea.
