Michael B. Jordan on His Oscar, His Favorite Projects, and How He Builds a Character

Arriving for the Cover Fitting

The video opens with staged office chaos. Staff wonder where Jordan is, a stand-in is readied, and the photographer is waiting. When Jordan appears, the first question is how it feels to finally be at the fitting for a Vogue cover. Jordan says it feels great and has been "a long time coming." Knowing he is in good hands, he says he just wants to go with the flow.

Snacks, Hobbies, and the Oscar

When asked for his favorite snack, Jordan hesitates, saying he doesn't want to sound high-maintenance, and then answers dried mangoes. Later in the video, a staff member promises to bring him a mango. Off-screen, he says, he likes to cook and calls himself a foodie.

He is asked where his Oscar is. He says it is in his closet. The next question is whether he left anyone out of his acceptance speech. At that point another person steps in, joking that the questions are getting too personal, and takes over. That question goes unanswered.

Other quick answers follow. His favorite color is purple, which he links to royalty, and he wants pasta for dinner that night.

Early Roles and Future Ambitions

At a desk set up for "follow-up questions for the cover story," Jordan recalls the first role he remembers playing: an unnamed extra on The Sopranos, "a long time ago."

When asked about a dream role, he jokes that he would like one where he doesn't have to be in shape, where he can eat as much as he wants and get fat. He says that would be the perfect role for him. He says he would like to do theater "one day," and when asked to choose between the West End and Broadway, he picks Broadway.

Basketball Banter and a Favorite Project

The person in charge of his hair greets him with some teasing, and Jordan jokes that they are standing by the window "like Batman." They ask who was the better basketball player in their prime. Jordan picks himself but adds that it would be close. The other person replies, "Wrong answer."

That person then asks about his favorite project. Jordan says there are many and calls the choice tough. He settles on a tie between the first Black Panther and Creed. Addressing the person directly, he says they had "been in the trenches" together. He adds that he doesn't know if he could have gotten through those movies without them.

Style: Black, Confidence, and Tabi Loafers

With the stylist, Jordan describes his mood for the day as stylish but comfortable, and says you can't go wrong with black. He sums up his personal style as confident, saying you need confidence to pull off certain looks. He also values comfort and says he sometimes likes to dress up. He accepts the stylist's suggestion of "smart casual," refining it to "smart with a dash of casual."

When asked about his favorite costume from one of his films, he mentions costume designer Ruth Carter and a look from Creed. That part of the transcript is unclear.

Another staff member asks him to choose between shoes and sneakers. He says he is always in sneakers but likes shoes too. Lately he has been wearing loafers, especially tabi styles, and says he has "been on my Japanese tip." He tries on a pair of sunglasses and asks for an honest opinion.

Favorite Film and Influences

Jordan calls choosing a favorite film of all time hard, then picks Coming to America. He says he can watch it any time it's on and is always laughing.

When asked which actor influenced his career, he declines to name just one, noting that "everybody came before me." He then names Denzel, Leo, and Tom Cruise as part of that mixture.

Relaxing and Upcoming Projects

A staff member offers lunch, such as fish and chips or an English dinner. Jordan says he has never had fish and chips there and agrees to try it.

When asked how he relaxes, he lists cooking, playing Call of Duty, and doing absolutely nothing. He says he really loves the silence.

For upcoming work, he says he is finishing post-production on Thomas Crown and then going straight into Miami Vice. He is pleased that this will take him back home to the East Coast and then down to Miami.

How He Gets Into Character

The most detailed answer comes near the end, when he is asked how he usually gets into character. Jordan says he keeps journals. Starting from the first page of the script, he writes down the character's earliest memories. He then gets a house somewhere and isolates himself for a while so he can "get into the body of the character."

Wrapping Up

After a selfie with a staff member, Jordan heads to the shoot. In a closing line, he describes the people he worked with that day as "sweet people, very, very nice," and the shoot as "demanding, but pretty cool."