Michael B. Jordan Honored with American Cinematheque Award, Reflects onโ Chadwick Boseman and Trailblazing Role
LOS ANGELES – Michael B. Jordan received the American โCinematheque Award on โฃThursday, using his acceptance speech to honor the late Chadwick Boseman โand discuss โthe importanceโ of dedication to theโฃ craft of acting,โ as well as the impact of his own early roles on representation. The ceremony, a fundraiser โfor the non-profit organization, featured performances and presentations from industry leaders.
Jordan was โฃlauded โคby โขDaniel Kaluuya, who โshared a story about Boseman and highlighted Jordan’s commitmentโค to โขhis role โas Killmonger in Black Panther. Kaluuyaโฃ recounted โคhow Jordan spent multiple hours each day undergoing physical conversion for the โpart, framing โit as a demonstrationโค of respect forโฃ their profession. Kaluuya shared a personal โขshift in viewpoint,โ statingโค heโ “used to see an early wake-up call [for makeup and hair] as taking something from me,” but โnow views it “as an prospect โคto show how much I care, like Mike.”
Kaluuya also recalled a pivotal momentโ a decade prior, when he saw a billboard โof Jordan as Johnny storm in 2015’s Fantasticโฃ Four. โ”He’s lighting a โขpath โhere,” Kaluuya โrealized. “There’s a way โI didn’t see, that now I see. โคIn 2015, peopleโข like us โwere not playing characters โlike that. My boy’s the human Torchโ in real life!”
The event includedโ a three-course meal consisting of Caesar salad, aโ choice of umami glazed salmon or โwild โmushroom risotto, โขandโฃ dessert options of apple โtart โฃNormande or chocolate mousse โcake. A musical performance of “I Lied to You”โข from Sinners was โคdelivered by Miles Caton, Ludwig Gรถransson, and Raphael Sadiq,โ a song Warner Bros. isโฃ actively promoting for Best Song consideration โat the oscars.
Universal Pictures Chair Donna Langley presented charles H. Rivkin of the Motion Picture Association with the Power of Cinema Award.
Jordan joins a distinguished listโค ofโ past American Cinematheque Award recipients, includingโ Jessica Chastain, Helen โคMirren, ryan Reynolds, Scarlett โขJohansson, Spike Lee, and Charlize Theron. The award โwas fristโค presented in 1986 toโ Eddie Murphy.
Proceeds fromโค Thursday’sโค ceremony will supportโค theโ American Cinematheque’s year-round programming at the aero Theater in Santa Monica,โฃ the Losโ Feliz 3 Theatre in Los โFeliz, and the โEgyptianโฃ Theatre in Hollywood.
