Michael B. Jordan's Transformation From Soap Star To Sexiest Man Alive
Glow-Up: Michael B. Jordan’s Transformation From Scrawny Soap Star To Sexiest Man Alive
Source: Virginia Sherwood /Walt Disney Television via Getty Images; Randy Holm / Getty
In case you missed it, Michael B. Jordan was named PEOPLE magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2020. And while with the year we’ve had you probably are wondering, “Who cares!?” it’s certainly a long time coming for the Hollywood heartthrob. Ever since he bulked up to play Adonis Creed, women of all walks of life, famous and everyday, have lusted over him. He told the magazine that the secret to his sexy confidence comes from him deciding he’s no longer going to worry about what people have to say or think about him.
“You could have all the good intentions in the world, and you’ll still get controversy or some of type of negativity thrown your way,” he said. “Sometimes you’ve just got to trust the universe, you know?”
“You’ve got to just believe in yourself and do what you feel is really right,” he added. “I think that adds up and builds confidence.”
Being crowned Sexiest Man Alive puts him among a pretty legendary list of fine men who were crowned as their careers skyrocketed. It’s a major accomplishment for the 33-year-old, who has been acting since he was a kid back in 1999. Whether you were paying attention or not, he grew up in front of our very eyes on the silver and big screen. In case you need a reminder of the first rate transformation he did to get to this point, hit the flip for a walk down memory lane.
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While most of us first spotted Jordan in The Wire (as the heart-achingly good Wallace) or maybe Hardball, he gained an even bigger taste of mainstream appeal playing Reggie on the now defunct ABC soap, All My Children from 2003 to 2006. He is pictured here in a still from the soap opera during his braids phase.
ALL MY CHILDREN – 8/9/04Derek (William Christian listened to Reggie (Michael B. Jordan). who fretted over Jamie being in jail, on Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Daytime’s “All My Children” (Monday-Friday, 1-2 p.m., ET) on the Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Television Network. (Photo by Virginia Sherwood/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
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While playing Reggie, Jordan ended up switching it up and putting his long hair into locs. Though still a teen at the time, you could see that he would grow up to be quite the handsome young man and star. In the meantime, he got to flex his acting chops on a major network every morning.
ALL MY CHILDREN – 10/7/05Michael B. Jordan plays Reggie Montgomery on Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Daytime’s “All My Children”. “All My Children” airs Monday-Friday (1-2 p.m., ET) on the Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Television Network.(Photo by Yolanda Perez/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images) MICHAEL B. JORDAN
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Jordan is pictured at the NAACP Image Awards in 2006, where he was nominated for an award, Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series, for his work as Reggie on “All My Children.” He was nominated for his performance three years in a row but didn’t take home an award. He would end up winning one until 2015 for the work he did playing Adonis “Donnie” Creed. Still handsome and young, but not radiating the confidence we would come to see.
Michael B. Jordan during The 37th Annual NAACP Image Awards – Arrivals at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Jason Merritt/FilmMagic)
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Another big opportunity for Jordan was playing Vince in the NBC show Friday Night Lights, a drama based on the film of the same name.
To this day, he only has positive things to say about the show and his co-stars.
“The whole entire cast is really, really great people and the show itself is one big family,” he said. “Peter Berg has created this system that’s just like an actors playground. It’s incredibly liberating. Everybody that you fell in love with on the show are exactly what you expect them to be.”
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS — “Always” Episode 513 — Pictured: Michael B. Jordan as Vince Howard — Photo by: Bill Records/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
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This is about where Jordan’s transformation into Hollywood hunk began. Pictured here in 2013 at an event for the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 (he was there to promote Fruitvale Station), you could see he was starting to put on muscle. He still stood pretty awkwardly, but with the biceps and facial hair, he was on his way to hottie status.
CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 19: Actor Michael B. Jordan attends The Weinstein Company Party in Cannes hosted by Lexus and Chopard at Baoli Beach on May 19, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by David M. Benett/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company)
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By 2015, he was one of the stars of the superhero franchise Fantastic Four, playing the Human Torch. Not everybody was crazy about him playing the role, though as a Black man. Trolls ended up saying crazy, even racist things about him.
“To the trolls on the Internet, I want to say: Get your head out of the computer. Go outside and walk around. Look at the people walking next to you. Look at your friends’ friends and who they’re interacting with. And just understand this is the world we live in. It’s okay to like it,” he said in response to them.
As for his looks in this image, you can see his style began to improve and those muscles kept growing. Jordan wasn’t a young’n anymore.
Michael B Jordan attends the “Fantastic Four” premiere at the Williamsburg Cinemas in Brooklyn. �� LAN (Photo by Lars Niki/Corbis via Getty Images)
Source: ANGELA WEISS / Getty
By the time word got out that Jordan was going to play Killmonger in Black Panther, his muscles got bigger, and so did the legion of women who couldn’t get enough of them. The braids, though temporary and for his work on the film, were certainly a nice touch. He sported them, and this dapper look, for the Met Gala in 2017. Nice. Very nice.
Michael B. Jordan arrives for the Costume Institute Benefit on May 1, 2017, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Source: LOIC VENANCE / Getty
His work in Creed and the success of the film helped Jordan become a certified leading man in Hollywood. He had the looks and the talent to make it happen. He is pictured here at Cannes in 2018, promoting his work in the HBO television film Fahrenheit 451, based on the book of the same name. He played the lead character, Guy Montag and was also a producer on the project.
US actor Michael B. Jordan poses on May 12, 2018 during a photocall for the film “Farenheit 451” at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP) (Photo credit should read LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Eventually, everything continued to get better when it came to the star. Jordan’s style continued to get better and better, as well as flattering. Who else can make a camel peacoat and shades look this good? The actor was pictured here at The View to promote Black Panther a few days before the film’s release. He would receive critical acclaim for his work as Killmonger. Did we mention that he looked damn good in it, too?
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 14: Michael B. Jordan at The View on February 14, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
Source: Rich Fury / Getty
It also helps one’s appeal to be aware of what’s going on in the world around you. Social justice issues were and continue to be a major topic of conversation. The star wasn’t afraid to get out during the summertime to not only protest but speak at a march supporting Black Lives Matter.
“I use my power to demand diversity, but it’s time the studios, the agencies, all these buildings that we’re standing in front of, I wish they would do the same,” he said during a protest in Los Angeles in June. “You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020. Where is the challenge to commit to black hiring? Black content led by Black executives, Black consultants. Are you policing our storytelling as well? Let us bring our darkness to the light.”
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 06: Michael B. Jordan participates in the Hollywood talent agencies march to support Black Lives Matter protests on June 06, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
