Michael B. Jordan has come a long way in his career. Initially breaking out in TV when he was a member of the cast of HBO’s The Wire, he’s now a major movie star with major credits under his belt. Most recently, Jordan's been praised by critics for his performance in Sinners and, with that, he's been nominated for a 2026 Golden Globe. Even with all of the success he's had, though, Jordan still thinks about the people who helped him earlier in his career, such as Ben Affleck.
In 2013, Jordan starred in the Sundance hit Fruitvale Station, the real-life story of the late Oscar Grant, he earned critical acclaim. Jordan recalled that time in his life while speaking with The Wrap, and that period marked a turning point for him professionally. So it “meant the world” to him that Affleck reached out to him:
He was one of the first people to call me after ‘Fruitvale Station’ came out. He asked me to go to lunch and said, ‘Hey, man, look, I know what you’re going through right now.’ That meant the world to me, to know I’m not the only person that feels like this. Like, I thought it was just me going crazy, right? I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to expect. People sometimes don’t take into consideration how impactful it can be to get a call or a simple ‘Call me if you need me.’ So I try to be that for other people too.
That’s so sweet! It’s clear that Ben Affleck was truly taken by Michael B. Jordan’s performance, and I can’t say I blame him. From there, a friendship began between the two actors, and the Chasing Amy star told his buddy he’d help him whenever he needed it. He even invited the Friday Night Lights actor to his star-studded 2023 holiday party. Now, that’s a mentor to keep in your corner.
Affleck hasn’t been the only big actor to have helped the Black Panther star. Jordan also received career advice from Denzel Washington, who taught him about the power of leaving room for mystery compared to overexposure on social media. Then, there’s also a “cheat code” he learned from Bradley Cooper and Jon Favreau for Creed III on how to direct his movie while wearing a mouthguard. With so many people for Jordan to look up to, it’s no wonder he never fails to deliver a powerful performance.
What I also love is that now that he's found success, Michael B. Jordan tries to be there for other stars like Ben Affleck was for him. It also seems he's taking the right kinds of creative cues from his mentors. That was clear when Jordan scored his directorial debut with Creed III, to which he brought his vision and leadership to the set. He would help his co-stars, like Tessa Thompson, who said he gave her the freedom to improvise that she didn’t have in the other movies.
It's wonderful to see where Michael B. Jordan is today, and he definitely seems grateful that celebs like Ben Affleck have helped guide him. Now, my wish is for these two to collaborate on a movie together. Considering the profound effect they've had on each other, let’s hope that dream becomes a reality soon. Until then, you can watch Jordan in the 2025 movie release Sinners, which is streamable with an HBO Max subscription.
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