Movies

Michael Bakari Jordan (/bɑːˈkɑːri/ bah-KAR-ee; born February 9, 1987) is an American actor, producer and director. He is best known for his film roles as shooting victim Oscar Grant in the drama Fruitvale Station (2013), boxer Adonis Creed in Creed (2015), and Erik Killmonger in Black Panther (2018), all of which were written and directed by Ryan Coogler. Jordan reprised his role of Creed in Creed II (2018) and again in Creed III (2023), which also marks his directorial debut.

Jordan initially broke out in television, playing Wallace in the first season of the HBO crime drama series The Wire (2002); Reggie Montgomery on the ABC soap opera All My Children (2003–2006) and Vince Howard in the NBC sports drama series Friday Night Lights (2009–2011). His other films include Chronicle (2012), That Awkward Moment (2014), Fantastic Four (2015), and Just Mercy (2019), in which he portrayed Bryan Stevenson. He also starred in and produced the HBO film Fahrenheit 451 (2018) and received Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie nomination.

Jordan is the recipient of several accolades, including six NAACP Image Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Producers Guild of America Award. In 2020, he was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, as well as People's Sexiest Man Alive. In the same year, The New York Times ranked him 15th on its list of the 25 greatest actors of the 21st century. Jordan is also a co-owner of English Premier League football club AFC Bournemouth.

Early life
Michael Bakari Jordan was born on February 9, 1987, in Santa Ana, California, to Donna and Michael A. Jordan. Jordan's family spent two years in California before moving to Newark, New Jersey. He attended Newark Arts High School, where his mother worked, and where he also played basketball. During his time at Newark Arts, Jordan was bullied by other students for his desire to be an actor and model, including by future radio show host Lore’l.