Whether it's an underdog boxer with a chip on his shoulder, a football player with a point to prove, or a superhero trying to save the world, Michael B. Jordan has often played positive, heroic roles in his career. In Ryan Coogler's Black Panther, however, Jordan will take on the mantle of Erik Killmonger, a traditionally antagonistic character in the pages of Marvel Comics. But Jordan's hoping that his charisma and familiarity is going to pull people to Killmonger's side, so don't be surprised if you find yourself rooting for the outsider.
During a visit to the Atlanta-based set of Black Panther about this time last year, our group of journalists were able to talk to Jordan about his own take on Killmonger and how his collaborations with Coogler helped to shape the character and his arc. If you've seen any of the film's marketing that's been in steady supply ahead of the February 16th release date, you know that Killmonger is in conflict with the title character and his rule in Wakanda. But to hear Jordan explain it, Killmonger is not a villain, but someone else entirely.
A lot of the roles you’ve played in the past have kind of been underdogs, guys you really root for. Obviously this is on the opposite end of that. What was it like getting to switch into that kind of character?
Michael B. Jordan: I think it’s a different muscle for me. I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and try something different, especially with [Director] Ryan [Coogler], working with him again. I jumped at the chance to get a chance to work with him again. I think one of the challenges for us, if we do our jobs the right ways, hopefully Killmonger is somebody you guys can root for, too. I think that’s something hard to accomplish, but if we all do what we’re supposed to do, I think that will be a really hard decision to make, to figure out who you want to root for. I think that brings out the best in villains.
Based on that, what does Erik Killmonger want?
Jordan: He has interests in Wakanda, as [does] the rest of the world. It’s something that they don’t really know that much about, and… he wants to find out more? I’m sorry guys, this is tough! [laughs]
The fact that you’re on the other side of things from here compared to most of the cast, who are grouped together as Wakandans ... is there an isolation in that? How does that work as far as developing your relationships with the cast versus the characters developing their relationships?
Jordan: It’s interesting because I’m not really associated with any of the Wakandans. I guess I’m the best representation of America? So, when it comes to getting into the characters from the offset, I’m kind of late in the game. This is the first project between me and Ryan where I wasn’t there from the very beginning, so coming into the middle of shooting, not really being there from pre-production and getting the chance to spend a lot of time with the cast and stuff like that, actually works in my favor. Because there isn’t really any real connection there on screen, in the script, so I think that separation helps me out a lot. But it’s one of those things where you tell everybody before they start, “I love you! I love you, too! Ah! But in this one I’m not really gonna be smiling too much, you know?” I think people know me by now, I’m pretty warm and approachable and stuff like that, but on this one, I’m taking a slightly different approach and kind of staying to myself.
One thing that people really responded to with Creed was Ryan’s style of filming the boxing scenes. Can you speak to how he’s approaching action in this movie?
Jordan: As realistic as he can. I think one of Ryan’s strengths is that he always finds the real moments, even in the sci-fi or larger-than-life atmosphere and environment, so to apply when it comes to boxing, he wanted real hits. He wanted it to look like if it was a brawl, it was gonna be a brawl, you know? We really took our time with each punch; each punch represented a different line. So in a sense, we’re having a scene and dialogue within the fight. That was something that I found very interesting with that attention to detail. So for this one, [it’s a] different approach cuz there are a lot of weapons and you’re also using a lot of hand-to-hand combat and stuff like that, so there’s a lot more action, so to speak. Just trying to find the realness in the larger-than-life Marvel universe. I think that’s something he’s definitely striving for.
Killmonger’s an expert fighter; you’re no stranger to intense physical training. Can you compare your experience training in Creed with your training for this?
Jordan: I think when I trained for Creed, I had about a year in advance to know what I was doing before, so I lived like a fighter, you know? I went through the workout routine, the diet, training with real boxers, training with real trainers, did the whole thing, which helped me out a little bit in the process of getting ready for this one. Discipline, you know, same type of approach, but instead of just using my arms and my hands in boxing, this one is more more martial arts, using a lot of your legs, so I’m picking up different fighting styles. Also a lot of guns, too, the weapons training is a totally different muscle, so being able to train in LA for a couple months before coming here and doing all this.
I like to do as much as I can by myself. I respect stunt guys and what they do, of course; if I’m jumping out five-story buildings, you got it! [laughs] Anything on the ground, anything that I feel like I can do, I really like to be able to do that stuff myself and be able to give the director options for long takes and not being able to cut away and stuff like that. As much as I can learn, I just wanted to be a sponge. He’d drop me off at weapons training, martial arts training, pick back up on boxing, and just try to combine it all.
Often times opponents are kind of studying each other, like a chess game. Would you say Killmonger is studying and learning from the Black Panther to up his game and take over?
Jordan: That was a good one! I feel like it’s more of resentment. I feel like there’s more of a jealousy aspect. It’s always interesting to train for an enemy you’ve never met before, so it’s a lot of studying him from afar, and I feel like he’s very patient. He’s a thinker. He’s really good at chess, and he was waiting for his perfect time to pop up.
Was it easy for you to get in his head and get behind his motivations? Did you understand him right away?
Jordan: 100 percent. Without a doubt. And I think that’s the part of it that hopefully a lot of people, when they see the film, they’re able to connect with. Same part that I connected with. Yeah, I could. There’s two sides to every coin and true villains--I think the really good ones and the interesting ones, the watchable ones--truly believe what they’re doing is the right thing. And if you can somehow blur that line for the people who’re supposed to not like them, like maybe I’m not supposed to be on board with this, if you can kind of get them to see that other point of view, I think the battle’s won.
You said you were brought in later in the game on this than usual. Can you talk about what those initial discussions were? Was there any hesitation at all to do another comic book movie?
Jordan: Zero hesitation to do another comic book movie. I guess I got brought in later in the game because that was the natural process – we and Ryan still talked everyday, and I still, still kind of in an unofficial capacity, had always been part of it. No hesitation, really, to do another comic book film. I’m a geek, I love this world, I love being able to play in that fantastic kind of space. I looked at it as another shot to get it right, to do it again, and especially teaming up with [Director of Photography] Rachel [Morrison] again and Ryan, it’s a very comfortable space with me. It’s the perfect space for me to take a risk like this, so it was no hesitation on my part.
Can you talk a little about the female characters and Killmonger’s interaction with them?
Jordan: He doesn’t really get a chance to have elaborate interactions with a lot of women, a lot of female characters.
Are there any characteristics or traits of your character that you think you personally possess?
Jordan: I think being strategic, thinking before you act, thinking before you speak, being really thought out, five or six steps ahead – he’s very passionate about what he believes in. Yeah, I feel like he always has a plan; that’s something I can pull from my own personal life, I always feel like I had a plan for something. Yeah, I think that’s something we have in common.
One of the really cool things that’s been noted about your collaborations with Ryan and even in your work in Friday Night Lights is that the women tend to be so much more than just these cliched “strong women characters"; even if they are physically strong, they’re really complex people. I’m curious in this case, especially with Lupita’s character, was that something you noted going in, that even though she’s a warrior, she seems more complex?
Jordan: Yeah, I feel like Ryan’s portrayal of women, he’s always very conscious of that, and we want to be as realistic as possible, a reflection of the time, of today. And I feel like Lupita’s character definitely [exudes] strength and brains and brawn. Yeah, I think you get a chance to see all layers of a woman, all different sides and shapes and colors, I feel like you get a full 360 view of what a woman can do, very, very much so.
Andy [Serkis] told us that Klaw’s motivations are unabashedly selfish. Is that similar for Killmonger?
Jordan: I feel like Killmonger is very selfless. I feel like he’s looking at the bigger picture. I think he’s always looking at the bigger picture, since he was really young, which is why he’s a great thinker and a great strategist, ‘cuz he’s had time to look at the big picture and try to figure it out. And to the best of his ability, I feel like he figured it out – it makes sense to him.
If he had to describe himself, is he a leader, is he a hero?
Jordan: He’s a revolutionary.
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For even more, be sure to check out these recent reports from our visit to the set of Black Panther:
- ‘Black Panther’: 90 Things to Know about the MCU’s Game-Changing Movie
- ‘Black Panther’ and Wakanda’s Dogs of War: The Hatut Zeraze Explained
- ‘Black Panther’: Andy Serkis on Klaw’s Return & the Mercenary’s Conflict with Wakanda
- ‘Black Panther’: Chadwick Boseman on T’Challa’s Ascension to Wakanda’s Throne
