Michael B. Jordan has always been heart-achingly fine. And now, fans will finally have the pleasure of seeing their favourite Black Hollywood darling giving what they’ve been asking for: a romantic leading role. Jordan is starring in the upcoming drama A Journal For Jordan, directed by Denzel Washington, and the butterfly-inducing trailer dropped Wednesday.
In the film, MBJ stars alongside Chanté Adams (Roxanne Roxanne) as a soldier who is deployed to Iraq and keeps a journal of love and advice for their infant son.
The chemistry between the two leads is palpable in the film’s trailer, thanks in large part to Adams herself, who has a magnetic on-screen presence. The rising queen of Black love is also known for delivering a scene-stealing performance in Stella Meghie’s The Photograph as a woman struggling to reckon with her own feelings, and what it means to chase your dreams.
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For Jordan, this new project is a departure from his usual roles in action films like Black Panther, Without Remorse and the Creed franchise. “I've done a lot of physical roles, because that's been my appetite. I'm 34; the last seven years has been (about) physically developing into your sweet spot,” he told USA TODAY. “I felt safe to be able to go into this, to explore these characters, and to be vulnerable in that type of way.”
A Journal for Jordan is a true story based on the bestselling 2008 memoir of the same name by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dana Canedy. The memoir is focused on the love story between Canedy and her late partner, Sgt. Charles Monroe King, and the life lessons King left behind for their newborn son Jordan while he was deployed overseas. King was eventually killed in Iraq in 2006 when Jordan was just seven months old.
Working with Washington, whose directorial oeuvre includes intense dramas like the Oscar-nominated 2016 adaptation of the August Wilson play Fences, was a dream come true for Jordan and the director delivered "a master class of character development and directing," Jordan said.
“Everybody wants to work with him, and he's a very selective guy,” Jordan said. “So the fact that he wanted to work with me was a huge deal for me.”
Cadney, whose son is now 16, not only approved of the film, but also shared her stories with the filmmaking team as the production progressed. “The story would not be happening if it wasn't for (the family's) approval and sign off on everything,” said Jordan.
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Over the last few months, fans have gotten to see a much more openly romantic side to Jordan himself, as he and his current girlfriend Lori Harvey continue to gush over each other on social media. So, although we may not have seen it publicly before, MBJ clearly has a deeply intimate and vulnerable side.
“I consider myself a romantic. I like love. I've had an amazing example of what love looks like growing up,” he said. And apparently one of his love languages is performing acts of service. “There's a certain level of catering to that I enjoy.”
Jordan is also a producer on A Journal For Jordan , which comes out exclusively in theatres this December.