Talented actor Michael B. Jordan has garnered accolades for roles on such hit television shows as The Wire and Friday Night Lights. But his stellar performance in the critically acclaimed offering Fruitvale Station has earned him the Breakthrough Actor Award at last night's Gotham Awards. Jordan told the Hollywood Reporter that he is inspired not only by his own talents being recognized but by the increasing number of quality offerings created by, and concerning subject matters dear, to African Americans.
"I think it's amazing and if they keep doing well, you might see more of those stories," Jordan said. "You might see more black filmmakers emerge and tell stories they want to tell, not just about African-American subjects, but they can be about anything. If the studios continue to take chances and risks and fund films by African-Americans, I think people will go see them. Hopefully, it will get easier as time goes on."
Well stated.
Fruitvale Station tells the true story of the life and death of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old African-American man who was shot and killed by a white transit police officer in Oakland, California. With Oscar buzz bubbling for Jordan, his next hyped roles come as Apollo Creed's son in the Rocky spinoff Creed. And as Johnny Storm in The Fantastic Four remake.
