Key Takeaways

• Michael B. Jordan’s most iconic roles span biopics, superhero films, and cult TV classics.
• His work with Ryan Coogler helped redefine modern Black storytelling in Hollywood.
• Performances like Fruitvale Station and Sinners explore themes of justice, identity, and legacy.

Having played superheroes (and supervillains), gifted athletes, and several real-life figures, it’s safe to say Michael B. Jordan has real range as an actor.

If you’re even a little familiar with Jordan’s work, you probably know that some of his most memorable roles come courtesy of Ryan Coogler, thanks to their undeniable collabs and creative chemistry. Their run began with the award-winning Fruitvale Station, followed by Black Panther, Creed, and Sinners.

That said, we’d be remiss not to highlight the roles Jordan landed before that and outside of his work with Coogler. Most notably, his death in “The Wire” left countless fans heartbroken and remains one of the show’s most unforgettable moments. We’ve also seen Jordan take on many other magnetic roles, like the Human Torch in 2015’s Fantastic Four and Steve Montgomery in Chronicle.

With that in mind, keep scrolling for 13 of Michael B. Jordan’s best acting roles in no particular order.

1. ‘Black Panther’

Jordan is truly something different when he’s playing the bad guy. In 2018’s Black Panther, he went head-to-head with Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa as Erik Killmonger. His approach is violent and morally off, but his mission — tapping into Wakanda’s technological strength to uplift racially oppressed African Americans — gives him a compelling core. Being a Marvel movie, he’s ultimately defeated by T’Challa — his cousin — but not before delivering a legacy-defining villain speech performance.

2. “The Wire”

Although Jordan initially auditioned for Bodie Broadus, landing the role of Wallace in "The Wire" became career-defining for the actor, as he’s acknowledged multiple times. Wallace was the heart and soul of Season 1, and while he couldn’t keep up with the often-heartless reality of the streets, his innocence and childlike personality made him unforgettable. “You should’ve stayed down in the country, man,” Bodie says before shooting him, and even he struggled to finish the job.

3. ‘Fruitvale Station’

For many Black actors, there often comes a time where they have to take on a very emotionally heavy — and, because of unfortunate circumstances, very real — role. For Jordan, that was 2013’s Fruitvale Station, where he portrayed the late Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Black man killed by Oakland police on New Year’s Day. The film doesn’t sugarcoat Grant’s flaws, but it follows him in the days leading up to his death as he tries to turn things around, only to be shot point-blank while handcuffed and lying face-down. There’s just no way to watch Fruitvale Station and not end up completely sobbing or furious about how Black men are treated by law enforcement in America.

4. ‘Creed’

Another testament to Jordan and Coogler’s ability to make one good movie after another is the Creed franchise, where he plays Apollo Creed’s son, Adonis. We see him wrestling with the pressure of living up to his father’s legacy while carving out something of his own. And while words don’t fully capture how good Jordan delivers a layered performance that goes beyond typical sports film expectations, or how gripping the sports drama is overall, the success of the first three films at the box office says plenty. Of course, that’s thanks in part to the legendary Sylvester Stallone appearing as Rocky Balboa in the first installment and a nod to Jonathan Majors sharing the screen with Jordan in the third.

5. “Friday Night Lights”

The relationship between a coach and his players, particularly for the ones who come from troubled backgrounds, is truly unlike any other. For football fans or former high school athletes, watching the bond between Vince and Coach Taylor grow during the later seasons of "Friday Night Lights" was something really meaningful.

6. ‘Sinners’

We simply cannot overstate how good of a film Coogler’s Sinners is. Set in the “1930s Jim Crow–era South,” Jordan plays not one but two characters: twin brothers Smoke and Stack. Not to spoil too much if you haven’t seen the movie, but the latter eventually becomes a vampire after being bitten by Mary (brought to life by the ever-charming Hailee Steinfeld).

Speaking with REVOLT, Jordan said it was "pretty cool" switching between the two characters. "Smoke had a dynamic with Mary, so I got an opportunity to get really close and intimate and would share personal things between Annie and Smoke, but then I had animosity and a certain dynamic with Mary as well. But then, when I was Stack, it was the reverse," he explained. "It’s kind of like you're the groom and the best man in each situation."

7. ‘Just Mercy’

As you’ll likely start to notice, Jordan has taken on several biographical roles, one of them being Bryan Stevenson in 2019’s Just Mercy. The film follows a young attorney working to overturn the wrongful death row conviction of an Alabama man portrayed by Jamie Foxx. Much like the real-life Stevenson’s memoir, Just Mercy digs into institutional racism and the devastating fallout of a justice system that failed an innocent man.

8. ‘Chronicle’

While a lot of superpower films paint a bright picture of what the world could look like if people suddenly gained abilities, Chronicle delivered one of the best takes by going in the opposite direction entirely. The truth is, humans have flaws, and plenty of people aren’t that great, no matter how much we wish they were. So, when three high school seniors — Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russell), and Steve Montgomery (Michael B. Jordan) — stumble upon a glowing object that gives them telekinetic powers, they use and eventually abuse them. Sadly, Jordan’s character becomes another casualty of Andrew’s spiral.

9. “All My Children”

Before his movie stardom, Jordan also spent his teen years on “All My Children,” where he played Reggie Porter, a young gang member adopted by Jack (Walt Willey) and Erica Kane (Susan Lucci). Fun fact: Chadwick Boseman was originally cast as Reggie before being let go and replaced by Jordan.

10. ‘Fahrenheit 451’

Set in a future where books are outlawed, Fahrenheit 451 follows Jordan’s Guy Montag as he starts to question the society he serves. When he sees a woman choose to burn with her books rather than give them up, he ultimately goes on the run to uncover the truth. Among the film’s strengths, it’s pretty entertaining to watch Jordan go up against the phenomenal Michael Shannon (or Captain Beatty in the HBO release).

11. ‘A Journal for Jordan’

Directed by Denzel Washington, A Journal for Jordan follows Jordan as Sergeant Charles Monroe King, a soldier stationed in Iraq who begins writing a journal filled with life lessons for his infant son. Like the real-life story it’s based on, King is killed with just a month left in his deployment. However, the entries he leaves behind for his son offer the type of wisdom you’d expect from a father who wanted to be present. Overall, you can tell Jordan was deeply invested in the role and, at the very least, excited to work with one of his idols.

12. ‘Fantastic Four’

The Fantastic Four is one of the few Marvel properties that the studio has struggled to get right over the years, especially on film and television. In 2015, the team was rebooted with Miles Teller, Jordan, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell. Despite a segment of the internet throwing an ugly tantrum about Johnny Storm being race-swapped — Jordan’s portrayal of the Human Torch is actually really good (and arguably one of the best).

13. ‘Hardball’

Starring Keanu Reeves, 2001’s Hardball follows the actor as he coaches a team of kids in one of Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods — one of whom happens to be Jordan (as Jamal) in his first credited film role. Though DeWayne Warren’s G-Baby getting caught in a shootout devastated audiences, the team’s bond, growth, and love for the game carried them through to a championship win that felt like a collective redemption. And if you’ve ever wanted to see Jordan take a baseball straight to the forehead, this movie delivers.