In a recent interview, Michael B. Jordan revealed the one piece of advice he’ll never forget from the legendary Denzel Washington. His advice is proven effective, based on Jordan’s upward career trajectory. And let’s face it, if Washington gave you advice, you’d best heed it.
Denzel Washington to Michael B. Jordan: Stay Offline
Fresh from the success of his vampire movie, Sinners, Jordan shared with Vulture (via Variety) that he does not post on social media or talk to the press about his personal life to “create a demand” for himself. He credited Washington as one of his inspirations and the sage career advice to stay offline to avoid overexposure. The Gladiator II actor told Jordan: “Why would they pay to see you on a weekend if they see you all week for free?”
Washington and Jordan worked together in the 2021 film A Journal for Jordan.
The Beginning of Jordan’s Career
Similar to other actors, Jordan had his doubts about where his career was heading at the beginning. “I was really, really, really unsure of what my career was going to be [12 years ago],” Jordan admitted. “Am I a TV actor? Where am I going? And I was like, ‘Man, I just want an independent film.’ I can show what I can do, and I just need to know if I could carry a film or not, if I could be a lead.”
It seems the universe wanted him to be a movie star since he ended up with the script for the Fruitvale Station and working with his frequent collaborator for several of his most successful films, Ryan Coogler. The meeting with Coogler changed the course of his career: “[Ryan] told me he thought I was a movie star. He thought I was a great actor, and he wanted to show the rest of the world that, and he wanted to make the movie with me.” Coogler is the director of Sinners, Creed, and Black Panther.
Jordan still follows Washington’s advice to this day. He’s not on popular social media platforms like X or TikTok, but he does have an Instagram account he uses to update fans about press tours and upcoming film projects.
