At the 98th Academy Awards, Michael B. Jordan took home the Best Actor award, and few could argue he did not deserve it. The win came for his performance in Sinners, written and directed by Ryan Coogler, in which he plays the double role of identical twin brothers Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore. With the victory, Jordan not only clinches his first Academy Award, but becomes the first actor to win an Oscar for portraying twins. Only five other Black actors have won the award; he is the sixth, following Forest Whitaker, Denzel Washington, Sidney Poitier, Jamie Foxx and Will Smith.
While Sinners firmly cemented Jordan in Oscar territory, becoming the most nominated film in the Academy Awards’ history, he had already built strong momentum throughout the awards season. He received nominations at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and Critics’ Choice Awards, and in a late-season turn, won at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Jordan’s win crowns a career marked by both commercial success and critical acclaim—a career that feels timely, reflecting his consistent ability to bring nuance to every character over the past two decades.
He first gained attention as a child actor playing Wallace in The Wire. His embodiment of a disenfranchised teenage drug dealer hinted at a talent for layered roles and his gift for drawing empathy even from morally complex individuals. In his first collaboration with Ryan Coogler, he starred as Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station, depicting the final hours of a young Black man whose life is cut short by police violence. Jordan then achieved franchise success as Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed in Creed, introducing him to a new generation of audiences. This was followed by his performance as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther, a role that combined box office success with lasting cultural impact. All of these roles set the stage for what would become his most ambitious performance yet.
And what of that Oscar-winning performance? Jordan takes on the audacious challenge of playing both Smoke and Stack, the two brothers at the heart of the genre-bending Sinners. In this dual role, he navigates Coogler’s period tale about twin anti-heroes who return to 1930s Jim Crow Mississippi to start a new life, only to confront an unknown supernatural evil. Heavily intertwined with the raw, powerful anarchy of the blues—a defining musical genre of that time—the tale is loosely inspired by the legend of Mississippi bluesman Robert Johnson, who allegedly sold his soul at a remote crossroads in exchange for fame and fortune.
Beyond the challenge of depicting two roles in a single film, the starkly contrasting personalities of the twins demanded another level of theatricality from Jordan altogether, as he masterfully crafted distinct mannerisms, postures, and voices for each, bringing both brothers vividly to life. Jordan unravels and has to steel himself as Smoke, whilst playing Stack lets him run amok. An emotional, action-packed ride, his part to play in Sinners was fitting of all his other roles that preceded it.
In honour of his momentous win, we look back on five defining moments in Jordan’s illustrious career, tracing the path that led him to his first Oscar win. Smoke and Stack would be proud.
1 / 5
The Wire (2002)
Michael B. Jordan first caught attention in The Wire, the acclaimed American crime drama, where he played Wallace, a 16-year-old drug dealer navigating life in the low-rise projects. Despite Wallace’s involvement in the drug trade, the character carried an unexpected humanity, revealing Jordan’s gift for crafting richly textured, empathetic personas. Even in a relatively short storyline, he highlighted Wallace’s fragility as a troubled youth—a contrast that would become a hallmark of his career and ultimately contribute to his Oscar-winning performance.
2 / 5
Fruitvale Station (2013)
Jordan’s collaboration with Ryan Coogler began with Fruitvale Station, a powerful retelling of the final hours of Oscar Grant, a young man killed by a police officer in 2009 at Oakland’s Fruitvale District station. The film presents Grant not merely as a victim of tragedy but as a son, a father, and a young man striving to improve his life. Jordan’s interpretation humanised Grant, capturing both tenderness and resilience, while also showcasing the creative chemistry between the actor and Coogler—a partnership that would shape several of Jordan’s career milestones.
3 / 5
Creed (2015)
In Creed, the first spin-off from the Rocky franchise, Jordan stepped into the shoes of Adonis Johnson, son of Apollo Creed. Taking on a legacy beloved by audiences was no small challenge, yet he infused the role with both charm and sensitivity. Adonis feels like a worthy successor while remaining uniquely Jordan’s own creation, a young man whose determination resonates beyond the boxing ring. The film also marked his first major taste of blockbuster success, further establishing him as a leading force in Hollywood.
4 / 5
Black Panther (2018)
Starring as a supervillain for the first time as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther, Jordan once again delivered a striking performance that captured the complexities of being the so-called “bad” guy, all with undeniable swagger. His portrayal was so convincing that many viewers found themselves torn, with some even rooting for him by the film’s final moments. He demonstrated a remarkable prowess in bringing depth to his characters. blurring the lines between right and wrong, good and bad.
5 / 5
Just Mercy (2019)
Shifting to real-world drama, Jordan brought to life Bryan Stevenson in Just Mercy, a young defence attorney devoted to representing wrongfully convicted Black prisoners on death row. Anchoring the story with moral clarity and intensity, he brought Stevenson’s dedication and determination to the forefront, conveying the emotional and ethical weight of the legal battles he fought. The role earned early Oscar buzz and underscored the range that would later reach its pinnacle in his Academy Award-winning performance.
