Michael B. Jordan knows his way around a boxing ring. In 2015, he took on the role of Adonis “Donnie” Johnson in “Creed,” a spinoff of the “Rocky” film series.
But for the upcoming third installment of the series, Jordan is not only the star of the film, but also the director — a challenge that he says pushed him beyond his personal limits.
“I put myself in a position where I had to sink or swim,” Jordan told CBS News’ 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.”
Jordan has spoken in the past about being inspired by long-time collaborator and director Ryan Coogler. He questioned whether he could direct, like Coogler, and has now found he can.
“I’m in my light right now. This is my Jordan year,” he said. “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.'”
Now, he says, “everything’s wide open.”
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As Jordan reaches new strides, the Newark, New Jersey, native is also focusing on giving back and putting the spotlight on HBCU basketball. Jordan is behind the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, an HBCU basketball showcase that gives student-athletes from Historically Black Colleges and Universities an opportunity to show their talents on nationally televised games.
A former basketball player himself, with a passion for the sport, Jordan said he created the event to “level the playing field” and give HBCUs attention, and funds. Jordan said he’s looking to expand the event by adding more college scouts and more sponsors.
“It is life-changing for me, myself personally, and then the university, our basketball team, and just my family as a whole,” Raymond Somerville III, a center at Delaware State University, said about the basketball showcase.
Jordan’s new chapter also includes getting beyond his high-profile breakup last year from model Lori Harvey. The two went public on social media with their relationship in early 2021 before calling it quits last June.
“I’m a firm believer in: what’s for you is for you,” Jordan said. “And coming out of that situation, not to give it any energy and kind of move from that is, you know, it was an experience for me to grow and learn.”
