Why Michael B. Jordan was inspired by ‘Black Panther’ director Ryan Coogler

Michael B. Jordan has opened up about his future plans in the film industry, revealing he was inspired by director Ryan Coogler to follow his dreams to direct a movie.

The 34-year-old actor is about to make his directorial debut on the highly-anticipated third installment of the Creed franchise, and he is now crediting Coogler.

Explaining that after working with the director on the 2013 film Fruitvale Station, he was able to see more options for his career, adding that he “pushed him to want to direct.”

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Ryan and Michael later teamed up for the first 2015 Rocky spin-off and the 2018 box office hit Black Panther alongside Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong‘o, Daniel Kaluuya, and Angela Bassett.

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Michael talked about his experience with the director during his latest appearance on Good Morning America and he admitted that from the first time he stepped on the set of ‘Fruitvale Station,’ he saw a young Black man close to age as him, and he thought “Man, OK, cool, it can be done.”

The actor and director also took a moment to talk about his friendship with Chadwick Boseman, confessing that he got very emotional watching his Oscar-worthy performance in  Ma Rainey‘s Black Bottom .

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“You‘re looking at the last performance that he gave and that says a lot, and I think Oscar or no Oscar, I think he won. The way he inspires people, and the way he inspired us, around the world, it’s something that’s changed me for the rest of my life,” Michael shared.