Michael B. Jordan doesn't want to take things for granted after Chadwick Boseman's death
The 34-year-old actor admitted he's been thinking more about his own "legacy" since his 'Black Panther' co-star died of cancer last year and he's now more focused on his own goals
22 April 2021
He told Men's Health UK: "I do think about legacy a lot. What I leave behind is something that I think about a lot.
"This past year has brought a lot of that to the forefront of my brain. Everybody’s had their share of loss in one way or another. I lost a friend in Chadwick [Boseman].
"There are a lot of things that I want to accomplish, and I know time is limited and life is short. I try to not take it for granted. It’s really made me focus on that.”
Michael has also been thinking more about the roles he takes on, and the importance of signing up for films like 'Fahrenheit 451' and 'The Thomas Crown Affair' with parts which weren't written specifically for Black actors.
He explained: "You take these roles that aren’t written specifically for [you] because they have a platform, and you inject yourself and your experience into the character.
"That’s the Trojan horse. Until this past year or so, that was a lot harder to do.
"We’re in this moment in time where I think, now more than ever, places are looking for that, because if not, there are ramifications [and] criticism.”
And the star touched on the game of "chess" he's had to play as an actor when it comes to taking on roles to advance his profile.
He added: “I’ve been playing chess in this industry for a long time, and people often don’t understand what that really means.
"You’re in a profession where, sometimes, your success and your popularity go hand in hand.
"When you’ve got to do things that are unpopular, you’ve got to move with your intuition, your gut and what you know is right for the long run – even though people may not understand it.”
Read the full Michael B. Jordan interview in the May issue of Men’s Health UK, on sale from 21 April.
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