Nice guys, or should I say, “corny” guys, don’t always finish last. Actor, producer and now director Michael B. Jordan has become one of the hottest topics in Hollywood lately. As the star prepares to make his directorial debut and reprise his role as Adonis Creed in the “Rocky” film franchise, Jordan has flexed both his muscles and success.
This week, the star joined the iconic list of celebrity models for Calvin Klein, appearing as the face of the brand’s Spring 2023 campaign. Shot by photography duo Mert and Marcus, Jordan appears in a sultry black and white photoshoot in nothing but the brand’s Athletic and Modern Cotton Performance Collections.
With the tagline “Calvin or nothing,” the brand chose the actor-director as its latest model the collection because of his “confident ambition.” In a press release, Calvin Klein added that People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” of 2020 continues to embody “passion and physical intensity” with a “discipline and uncompromising commitment to his craft.”
It’s also safe to say Jordan is dedicated to his growing career in storytelling. From intensive training to embody his “Creed” character to studying the art of directing with longtime collaborator and mentor Ryan Coogler, Jordan is pushing himself this year.
“I put myself in a position where I had to sink or swim,” he said in a recent CBS News interview with Gayle King. “I had to run towards that — my past, my inner demons, my insecurities, my fears. And I tried to put a mirror up to that throughout this movie.”
So it’s no surprise the award-winning star subtly flexed his success when encountering a former high school acquaintance on the red carpet. During a fan screening for “Creed III”, Jordan ran into former classmate turned radio show host Lore’l of Lore’l and the Morning Hustle. As she reminded him of their past connection at Chad Science Academy in Newark, N.J., Jordan slyly responded, “Oh yeah — I was the corny kid, right?”
The quip harkened back to a comment “The Quicksilva Show” syndicated radio host Dominique Da Diva made during on a 2021 podcast episode of “The Undressing Room,” which was co-hosted by Lore’l. After Da Diva referred to him as the “nice, corny guy,” Lore’l reminisced about Jordan being teased by their high school classmates.
“You know what I really think deep down inside? I think that Michael B. Jordan is a nice, corny guy, and I don’t mean that as a slight,” Dominique Da Diva said, Hot 107.9 reported.
“We went to Chad Science [Academy] together in Newark, and to be honest with you, we teased him all the damn time because his name was Michael Jordan. Let’s start there, and he was no Michael Jordan,” Lore’l then expressed, per People. “And he also would come to school with a headshot. We lived in Newark. That’s the ‘hood. We would make fun of him, like, ‘What you gonna do with your stupid headshot!?’ And now look at him!”
Regardless of who called him corny, Jordan no doubt ultimately remains unbothered as he prepares for his Hollywood Walk of Fame honor on March 1, just days before the premiere of his directorial debut on March 3.
“I’m in my light right now. This is my Jordan year,” said Jordan, per CBS News. “I mean that. This is my year. There’s so much going on, so many blessings, so many great things. This is at a point in my career where there’s not a lot of people telling me ‘no.'”
TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrio’s Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to ‘Writing Black‘ with Maiysha Kai.