Michael B. Jordan possesses a rare combination of charisma, intensity, and vulnerability that makes him one of the most compelling actors of his generation. From his early, heartbreaking television roles to his commanding presence in blockbuster franchises, Jordan consistently delivers performances that elevate the material. He has demonstrated remarkable range, tackling everything from troubled teens and aspiring athletes to complex villains and real-life heroes. His frequent collaborations with director Ryan Coogler, in particular, have yielded some iconic screen moments, cementing his status as a leading man capable of profound dramatic work and electrifying action. Selecting his best roles is a difficult task, but some performances stand out for their impact, complexity, and the way they showcase Jordan’s incredible talent.
In order to rank Jordan’s best performances, we considered the depth of the character, the skill Jordan brought to the portrayal, the emotional resonance of the performance, and how the role marked a significant step in his evolution as an actor. Here’s our pick for the seven best roles in Jordan’s career.
7) Vince Howard (Friday Night Lights)
Long before he was headlining major movie franchises, Michael B. Jordan delivered a standout performance in the later seasons of the beloved TV drama Friday Night Lights. Joining the show in Season 4, Jordan played Vince Howard, a talented but troubled teenager from East Dillon who was given a chance to turn his life around through football. Jordan expertly navigated Vince’s complex arc, portraying his initial defiance and mistrust as he adjusted to Coach Taylor’s guidance and the team structure. His natural athleticism was believable on the field, but the vulnerability beneath Vince’s tough exterior made the character resonate with audiences.
Watching Vince evolve from a raw talent into a disciplined quarterback and leader was one of Friday Night Lights‘ most compelling storylines of the show’s final years. Even in a series known for its strong ensemble cast, Jordan’s portrayal of Vince Howard proved he was a star in the making, capable of grounding high-stakes drama with authentic emotion and showcasing the charisma that would soon make him a household name.
6) Bryan Stevenson (Just Mercy)
Stepping into the shoes of real-life civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson, Michael B. Jordan delivered a performance of quiet strength and unwavering conviction in Just Mercy. The 2019 biographical drama follows Stevenson as he moves to Alabama after graduating from Harvard Law School to defend wrongly condemned death row inmates, focusing on the case of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx). As such, Jordan portrays Stevenson not as a flashy courtroom orator but as a determined, empathetic advocate working against a deeply prejudiced system.
Jordan masterfully conveys the immense weight and emotional toll of Stevenson’s work, particularly in scenes where he faces overt racism and bureaucratic obstruction. His chemistry with Foxx is palpable, creating a powerful dynamic between the idealistic young lawyer and the weary, unjustly imprisoned man. While Just Mercy features powerhouse performances across the board, Jordan anchors the film with a measured intensity, embodying Stevenson’s dedication and resilience.
5) Wallace (The Wire)
Michael B. Jordan’s role as the young, ill-fated Wallace in the first season of The Wire remains one of the most devastating and memorable performances in television history. At just 15 years old, Jordan brought astonishing depth to the teenage drug dealer working for the Barksdale organization in West Baltimore. Wallace wasn’t hardened like his peers, as he retained a childlike innocence, caring for younger kids in his derelict building and showing discomfort with the violence inherent in the drug trade. This vulnerability made his eventual fate all the more heartbreaking.
Wallace served as the emotional core of The Wire‘s first season, embodying the tragedy of youth caught in the gears of a destructive system. Jordan’s portrayal was incredibly authentic, capturing the boy’s fear, confusion, and ultimate betrayal by the very crew he considered family. Though his time on the series was short, Jordan’s performance as Wallace left an indelible mark, signaling the arrival of a major talent and opening doors for his future career.
4) Oscar Grant III (Fruitvale Station)
In his first collaboration with director Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan delivered a career-defining performance in Fruitvale Station. The 2013 film chronicles the tragic true story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area man killed by a BART police officer on New Year’s Day 2009. Jordan portrays Oscar as a complex, flawed, and deeply human individual trying to turn his life around during the final 24 hours of his life. He’s shown navigating his relationships with his girlfriend, young daughter, and mother before the fateful encounter with a trigger-happy police officer at the titular station.
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Jordan gives life to Oscar’s relatable struggles, making the inevitable conclusion of Fruitvale Station all the more devastating. He captures moments of joy, frustration, love, and regret, painting a complete portrait of a young man striving to be better. Fruitvale Station announced both Jordan and Coogler as major forces in filmmaking, with Jordan proving his capabilities as a compelling leading man able to carry a film alone.
3) Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Creed Trilogy)
Taking on the legacy of the iconic Rocky franchise was a monumental task, but Michael B. Jordan stepped into the ring and made the role of Adonis “Donnie” Creed entirely his own. Starting with 2015’s Creed, Jordan plays the illegitimate son of former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who seeks out his late father’s rival-turned-friend, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), to train him. Jordan embodies Adonis’s journey with fierce determination, balancing the chip on his shoulder from living in his father’s shadow with a deep yearning to prove himself.
Across the Creed trilogy, Jordan physically transformed, delivering believable and electrifying boxing sequences. More importantly, he charted Adonis’s emotional growth from an angry young man to a husband, father, and champion grappling with legacy, loss, and identity. His dynamic with Stallone’s Rocky in the first two films provided genuine heart, while his directorial debut in Creed III showcased his evolution both in front of and behind the camera. The role of Adonis Creed cemented Jordan as a bona fide movie star, capable of fronting a major franchise.
2) Erik “Killmonger” Stevens (Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Erik Killmonger could have easily been just another antagonist in the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Michael B. Jordan infused the character with such charisma, pain, and righteous fury that he became one of the most compelling villains in modern blockbuster cinema. In 2018’s Black Panther, Jordan portrays N’Jadaka, King T’Challa’s long-lost cousin abandoned in Oakland after his father’s death, who returns to Wakanda seeking vengeance and the throne. Jordan commands the screen from his first appearance, radiating intensity and a tragically understandable motivation rooted in the suffering caused by systemic racism and Wakanda’s isolationism.
Jordan embodies Killmonger’s revolutionary ideologue, whose methods are extreme but whose grievances resonate powerfully. His confrontation with T’Challa is ideological as much as physical, forcing Wakanda to confront uncomfortable truths about its place in the world. Jordan’s brief but impactful return in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Ancestral Plane sequence further highlighted the character’s lasting significance, demonstrating his potent presence even with limited screen time.
1) Smoke/Stack (Sinners)
Michael B. Jordan is not the first actor to play twins, but his performance in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners will go down in history as a definitive take on dual roles. Sinners‘ twin protagonists, Smoke and Stack, are inseparable brothers who do everything together. They share a history as soldiers fighting in World War I and a long period of criminal enterprise in Chicago. Yet, although they dress alike and go through similar life-changing experiences, Jordan gives each character a unique personality.
Smoke and Stack have different speech patterns, gait, and facial expressions that make them immediately identifiable, even though they share Jordan’s face. In the simplest scenes, like the lighting of a cigarette, Jordan manages to differentiate Smoke and Stack in a way rarely seen in cinema. The brothers’ relationship is also the emotional anchor of Sinners, ensuring viewers care for the fate of these characters when tragedy strikes. By giving us not one, but two memorable performances, Sinners is now the best movie in Jordan’s prolific career.
What’s your favorite Michael B. Jordan role? Let us know in the comments!
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