It was something that I was just taking it step by step, one foot in front of the other from small success, too Small success.

You look up and you have a decision to make Go to college.

Moved to L.

A.

You know, and kind of pursue this dream how my name is Michael B.

Jordan and this is a timeline of my career.

So my first imdb credit was The Sopranos in 1999 was about 12 years old.

And I was just, you know, one of the extras One of the background kids I think I might have snuck in a couple lines was definitely under five player at that time.

And I was a bully.

I was bullying, toning during one of his therapy sessions.

He was a flashback, was just like I'm talking about his childhood and guess how he used to get bullied on the boardwalk.

And I was one of those bullies.

And at that point, I think the most exciting thing about being on set, in fact, that I was not in school.

I think it was one of the first times that I got a chance to skip school, to go to the city and work at that time.

The Sopranos.

I mean, we didn't know that it was gonna be Noah's epic of a show, as it is today.

Wire for me was, was a very pivotal moment in my career.

First time auditioned for Alexa.

Fogle went in for Brody.

At first I read for him and I was too young.

So they brought me back the next day for Wallace.

And I end up booking the role again.

Another one of those shows.

And I guess, characters that and its first season never knew what he was gonna actually be wracked with cancer at the season one and got renewed.

I take pride in Wallace because you know, being a O g of the show, you know, one of the original cast members, Even though I got killed off towards the end of the season, it seemed to be a death on television that resonates with a lot of people.

Even today, I still get the where Where's Wallace shot out Soon as I'm walking, you know, walking through the streets.

I think a lot of the right people watch that show at that point in my career, A lot of casting directors, a lot of producers, a lot of people in powerful places that, you know, I guess, became fans at a young age.

So when I did audition for the next show, our got a chance to take general meetings and stuff like that.

It was always a lot of love, so that went a long way.

One of the things on the wires that nobody was safe.

Everybody could go, gets the best reference for that is like Game of Thrones.

Now everybody gets it, gets the shot that killed usually Just get the script you read through it.

You just flip through with first times to make sure your name is that the end of the episode, and then you go back and actually read it on for me.

I had that moment where David Simon comes knocking a trailer door.

You never want that.

Not on, not on your trailer.

So he knocked on my door and basically said, Look, Mike, we love you.

Everybody loves you.

But that's exactly why we have to kill you.

And Wallace has to go.

And it was It was a sad moment for me.

At that point.

It was just like, you know, me, leaving my family.

I just looked at everybody as my big brothers sisters.

And I was like, Man, stop.

I can't I'm not gonna not gonna work anymore.

But it'll be fine, Everybody.

You'll be great.

And then death Say, that thing was it was very emotional.

Emerald Mom being on set, she's in video village and you just hear sobbing and crying and stuff like that.

It was pretty distracted lately.

Just please, Mike.

Mike, Mike, please just take her upset.

Please take your upset.

But it was It was It was a good time looking back at it Friday night, like starting at lights.

So crazy Peterburg text me this morning.

Random had an audition.

Went in there one of things about Friday Night Lights and Pete Berg in this system.

He loves improv.

You love in private at living.

And I was in the audition room and it was a scene where Vince, Hi.

We're supposed to give him his his huddle.

It was like half time huddle speech to his team and getting everybody like, fired up and stuff like that and I'm in private.

I'm talking.

I'm doing my thing or whatever the case may be.

And Peter Berg just like throwing, like, throwing things at me, saying things and just like yelling at me, trying to get me try and get me motivated and to the point where I just like instinctually just ran at him and just tackled him right there in the middle of the room.

And I was already either got the job where I'm getting kicked out of here.

So you know, that doesn't matter.

How many games, how many touchdowns on the road.

All they see is a bunch of those coach, everybody thinks, but they never see Vince hours.

When those characters, at least people talking, you know what could have happened?

Where did he go to school?

Did he go pro that united become a coach, you know, like, what was his future?

I think you know, events at the world at his fingertips.

I think he really cared about his family.

He obviously loves sports.

Very athletic, you know, found a father figure and Coach Taylor made peace with his own dead knows.

I would like to think he went to you went to college Me personally in Michigan State League, Hall of Fame.

Maybe for Bo Station for me was it's the first time that I ever had opportunity to carry a phone.

I think inside I know as actor at that age was pretty insecure and not really confident and that the future was gonna be This is like my opportunity to really, like show what I could do as a black man at the time, there was a lot of police shootings really coming to the forefront and felt very frustrated and angry and didn't really have an outlet.

Say, however, they don't express myself, and I just so happen.

Perfect timing.

Ryan Coogler was developing the script around the shooting of Oscar Grant in his hometown, and it was the perfect connection.

Yeah, I needed him at that time, and he needed me.

Whether we knew it or not, I read that script was very emotional.

I got a chance to meet him, found a kinship brotherhood, way connected.

You set out to tell that story, and we became very, very close.

And you know, the way that movie impacted my career, his career, the lives of, you know, the grant family, Everybody in Oakland across the country.

And hopefully I like to think around the world Got a chance to experience a little bit of what Oscar Grant was like Shouldn't stop.

Stop this one now don't Okay, let me things not approving.

Prove what?

I'm not a mistake for me.

Chri.

That's something that me and Ryan talked about before we shot one frame of Fruitvale station.

It was something that was in his head a long time ago, Remember, I'm just asking a man doing this movie about Public Creed's son.

Do you want You want to play?

And I was like, Yeah, cool.

Let's do it.

You know, we have a shot, one frame, one scene in the movie.

But, you know, it's type relationship me and Ryan had.

And during that production, Ryan was running back and forth to MGM Sly, you know, just trying to, you know, make it happen, trying to convince convince, lied to kind of come back on the road that he wasn't really planning on doing.

And yet that process was another milestone moment for me.

First time I was able to really train changed my body like that training, taking on an iconic role, you know, like playing Apollo Creed's son was really important as well.

This is the first time I worked with actor from the wire since since I left the show coming here.

Decided he survived.

They gotta fight for life.

Killer be killed.

People dying there.

Your daddy died in the green.

You know, working another iconic franchise was a good time, Joe.

Of course, I have a lot of great relationships, and sometimes things just come randomly from different places.

Oneness a hit me up on this one might be wrong, but I think she hit me up in which is basically saying that she was directing this video for them and I was like, Sure it was Do it.

I mean, I'm one of those guys and I get a phone call from somebody within the film community that I'm cruel and trust.

It's like we're always down to collaborate on, be creative on certain things.

And I heard her vision and a story that she wanted to tell, and I definitely wanted to be a part of it.

It was incredible.

That album they represent what kind of state going that out.

Very influential.

And I was just pretty happy to be a part of it.

What do you want?

I want the throne.

Eric, kill monger for me.

Was first time playing a villain.

Brian just called me up on a man doing this thing.

I think it would be a good look for you, you know, kind of step out of your comfort zone and do something different on that play, a role that people haven't had a chance to see You play and you start talking about, you know, design characters.

I know it looks Wanna create iconic hairstyle, something that would be in style in two years or something that we were kind of influence kids and people don't want to imitate.

And it was a heavy roll.

It was a role that I I didn't know how deep I was gonna get into it until, like, I think it was over.

You know, you just kind of try to make decisions that feels right in the moment.

I didn't really have a set plan, just like day by day.

Really, Just like living in the moment and doing it feels right pretty isolated kind of stayed away from, like, you know, people that I cared about family for a long time because that was, I guess, one of the main things with Eric use like a really lonely person.

So I tried to embody that as much as I could.

Afterwards.

It kind of stuck with me for a minute.

There's no blueprint.

There's no there's no guidelines to like, you know, getting into character and getting out on what that looks like, what that feels like.

So just trying to find my way through, lean on people.

That's you done it before in the past and just try to learn and grow from it.

Tell me everything that happened the first time I visited death Row.

I wasn't expecting to meet somebody, to say Major, just like this'll.

Movie is extremely important.

Bryan Stevenson is not a perfect person, but I said his life.

But he's damn close.

The guy's dedicated his life to a cause where few people can say that they have such an important issue, such an important topic for this nation, and now he's taking it head on, tried to be around him as much as possible like to learn, you know, from him.

Try to get the essence of who he is.

At first I didn't even know who he was.

And I was really embarrassed that that s o after I listened to his Ted talking really got a full scope of his work and and what he stood for, it was intimidating.

But at the same time, I felt responsible.

Kind of take this story and share with the world and try to get as many people as possible to see this phone.

If you hear his words, if you if you know his story, that isn't moving, that doesn't make you think or want to ask the right questions.

When I ask questions, period, I think that's a problem.

You know, he is so such such powerful speaker, this presence is truly, truly incredible.

Try them body that, you know, working with Destiny and Jamie and breed.

You know, all the producers Gil and Asher.

You know, we all collectively over the past couple years you're trying to craft this story.

Just mercy is such a dense book.

So much in there.

We wanted to pick through a few of the most memorable cases and moments throughout that book and make a movie that was well around it and made people think that was honest portrayal of his journey.

And hopefully we did that.

You know, I look back 20 years crazy to say 20 years of anything.

You bet on yourself better myself.

He's continued t work known and try to grow and learn from each experience.

And then you had 20 years later no production company.

You know, I got a great team around me and projects that I'm extremely proud of focused and can't wait to continue to grow and do project that you guys are hopefully proud of too.