Michael B. Jordan doesn’t mind taking off his shirt for movie roles — and his fans likely don’t mind either.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, published on Monday, the Creed III star, 36, admitted to enjoying filming shirtless scenes, calling it “a plus in my life and in my career.”
“Look, we’re only going to be at this age once and have the ability to play these roles, to be physical and take my shirt off. I’m in my physical prime right now in this moment. So I have been, like, yeah, we’re gonna milk this,” said the actor, who recently starred in Calvin Klein’s Spring 2023 underwear campaign alongside Kendall Jenner, FKA Twigs and others.
Still, that doesn’t mean Jordan wants to be typecast as an actor known only for putting his chiseled physique on display onscreen. “Lately, I’ve started to really think about and daydream about the future and what roles and what direction I want to go in, so there have been moments where I want to throw on a suit rather than a tank top. Maybe go for a shirt over a fitted tank, you know what I mean?” he continued.
“My team and I have done a really great job at strategically figuring out when is good to be [PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive] or when it’s really cool to just chill and put on some sweats and a T-shirt.”
He said his goal is to be relatable to everyday movie fans.
“I want to break down the façade that celebrities or actors have where they are put on such a pedestal or being untouchable, unreachable. That’s part of the allure of the business and that’s great, but it’s also really good for people to know that we’re all the same,” Jordan explained. “We put our shoes on most of the time just like everybody else.”
As for how he manages to stay in peak physical shape, the Black Panther star said he’s driven by his competitive spirit. “That was the initial driving force for me as a young person. Then, you start to realize how everything else factors into your health, from what you eat and what you put into your body,” he said, noting that he learned a lot from some of his more physical roles, including boxer Adonis Creed in Creed and high school football player Vince Howard in Friday Night Lights.
“I learned about training and how to keep up my body, as it’s a direct reflection of the success you have on screen,” he said.
He doesn’t just focus on his physical health; he also nurtures his mental well-being with regular meditation practice.
“Meditation is something that really keeps me even-keeled. In our industry, we’re dealing with all types of highs and lows with curve balls getting thrown at us, whether that be through the media or whatever we’re dealing with,” Jordan told THR. “It’s a lot of opinions that can get inside your head and it’s important to be able to clear your mind and sit still. Meditation allows for that reset so you don’t stress yourself out.”
Now that he branching out into directing with Creed III, meditation has become an even more important part of his wellness routine. “Especially with directing, it’s a big responsibility with a lot of stressors and it’s been great to help me be able to sit still for a minute,” he said.
Keeping stress at bay is key for Jordan, who is not only juggling a demanding Hollywood career but a few side hustles as well. Among them, he recently teamed up with fellow actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to buy the Alpine F1 racing team under Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Investments group. The Deadpool star shared the news of the purchase in an Instagram Story last month.
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