Michael B. Jordan’s American Cinematheque Awards, co-starring Ryan Coogler and Tom Cruise

For nearly two hours, Michael B. Jordan relived his 25 years as an actor.

“No one warned me how crazy it would be to watch your entire career flash before your eyes,” Jordan said Thursday night, wiping away tears as he accepted the 39th American Cinematheque Award from longtime collaborator Ryan Coogler.

It was an emotional day for Jordan. He spent the morning paying tribute to his late friend Chadwick Boseman. The “Black Panther” star, who passed away in 2020, was honored with a posthumous star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Jordan also owns a piece of real estate along that famous walkway, and his star player was announced in 2023. So we know very well how emotional that moment is. But as he listened to Coogler, Viola Davis, and Boseman’s wife Simone Ledward-Boseman, Jordan tried to “remain calm” amidst all the emotions.

“It made me think about time and it made me think about the time that I have and what I do with it,” Jordan told Variety on the Beverly Hilton red carpet. Commenting on the coincidence of the two events happening just a few hours apart, he added: “I don’t want to share this day, this moment with anyone else. I’m actually very happy that it happened on the same day. I’ll never forget it.”

The American Cinematheque tribute chronicles Jordan’s accomplishments in film and television over the decades, from his earliest roles (including The Wire, Friday Night Lights, All My Children, and his first film, Hardball) to his breakthrough performance in Coogler’s indie drama Fruitvale Station, which established him as a notable movie star. He went on to star in box office blockbusters like Black Panther and the three Creed movies, and also directed Creed III, culminating in this year’s blockbuster Sinners. Next up, Jordan will direct, produce and star in a new version of The Thomas Crown Affair.

“We’ve watched his career blossom and grow, and each performance has gotten better and better. And when I saw ‘Sinners’ for the first time, I said, ‘This is the best thing ever,'” his father, Michael A. Jordan, told Variety.

“It didn’t happen overnight,” mother Donna Jordan pointed out. “I’ve seen a lot of what he’s done to put in the work. His work ethic is amazing and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

Prior to Jordan’s memorial service, NBCUniversal Director Donna Langley presented the Film Institute’s Charles H. Rivkin with the Power of Cinema Award presented by Hill Valley. Accompanied by his MPA colleague and his son Eli, Rivkin spoke to a crowd of studio heads and industry executives.

In fact, the top-notch lineup of presenters confirmed that the entertainment industry loves Jordan. Ben Affleck sparked praise by sharing how he reached out to the young actor for advice on navigating his rapidly accelerating career after watching Fruitvale Station.

“Looking back, those conversations were obviously much more valuable to me,” Affleck admitted. The Oscar winner also went on a rant at Jordan’s parents for giving him that name when another Michael Jordan was already embarking on a legendary basketball career. “This wasn’t a low-expectation practice,” he quipped, but Jordan lived up to his name.

The parade of Oscar winners followed Mahershala Ali, introducing a clip package of Jordan’s first films, and gushed, “Before Michael was a multi-tasker as an actor, producer and director, and before he was one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men and singles, the era we affectionately call the ’90s,” he gushed.

Octavia Spencer then recalled that she played Jordan’s mother in Fruitvale Station and that she became an executive producer on the project when the film ran into financing issues. “I always say that when you take an inspired, culturally significant script and add to it a top talent like Michael, who is a great character actor with a beautiful lead role, you make more than a lasting impression and create a film that stands the test of time,” she said.

Daniel Kaluuya (Black Panther) described Jordan as a “beacon of humanity in real life,” and said that before co-starring in the MCU, he and his friends saw Jordan’s signature in Fantastic Four and were even more inspired to pursue their dreams. “He’s Johnny fucking Storm.” That moment, Kaluuya said, convinced him of “Michael’s influence, influence, influence” and that he was “global even before he was given permission.”

The “Creed” section of the show featured Rocky series producer Irwin Winkler and Jordan’s co-stars Phylicia Rashad and Tessa Thompson. Rashad praised Jordan’s “impeccable” artistry, while Thompson reflected on playing his soulmate on screen for 10 years.

“I know my husband who works,” she said jokingly. “I’ve watched my work spouse evolve and grow so much, but at the same time, he hasn’t changed one bit.” Meanwhile, Jordan’s recent co-star Delroy Lindo from Sinners said the night helped him better understand the “breadth and depth” of Jordan’s brilliance, genius and influence.

Bradley Cooper, who received the American Cinematheque tribute in 2018, lamented the fact that he had yet to work with Jordan. “I’ve never made a movie, I’ve never made a show, I’ve never made a TikTok, I’ve never done anything,” he declared. “I was just a big fan, but now miraculously I’ve been elevated to friend status.”

Angela Bassett, who played Jordan’s aunt Queen Ramonda in Black Panther, and Cooper’s fellow longtime fan Tom Cruise also appeared in video messages.

“When I first saw your work, I immediately knew what an incredible talent you were. I’ve watched your career grow over the years,” Cruise said in the video. “I admire your talent, your dedication, and your constant willingness to learn and push the boundaries of storytelling. You have brought to life so many authentic and memorable characters, always with so much depth and always contributing to the story.”And by playing dual roles in Sinners, Jordan “demonstrated the magic of the big screen experience,” Cruise continued.

Mr. Coogler was the final presenter of the night. “I’m really upset because I’ve never had to follow so many great actors before,” he said, joking that all the other hosts used all of their best anecdotes about Jordan. “That made my speech meaningless.”

But director Coogler did his best to sum up their 13-year partnership, friendship, and brotherhood, focusing on Jordan’s incredible dedication to the craft of acting. Coogler detailed how Jordan transformed physically and delved deeper into character work with each collaboration, making “Sinners” his most powerful effort to date.

“I don’t think there’s another actor in the world who’s been able to pull this off,” Coogler said of the more complex aspects of playing two characters in the same shot. “He makes these things look so easy, but they are often overlooked.”

Coogler shared the story of their first coffee meeting while promoting Jordan on “Fruitvale Station.” It was clear to him that Jordan was becoming a movie star. “I said, ‘Hey, I think you’re a star. Let’s do this project together and show it to the world.’ And this guy looked back at me like it was the first time someone had said that to me.” (“Yeah,” Jordan yelled from a table in the center of the ballroom.)

At the Sundance premiere of “Fruitvale Station,” Oscar Grant’s family saw the film for the first time, and Coogler said his uncle’s review was moving. “I felt like I had been watching my nephew for an hour and a half,” he said.

“This is the power when Mike is in the bag, when he’s having his first love,” Coogler said. “He has the power to make magic happen. He has the power to get to the truth, that all of our humanity is real, and that all the constructs we make – race, identity, citizenship, etc. – as deadly and powerful as they are, are just constructs. Mike shines through that.”

Coogler then invited Jordan on stage. The audience honored the actor with an impressively long standing ovation, allowing him time to wipe tears from his eyes and regain his composure.

“I keep replaying that reel in my head,” Jordan said. “It’s exciting, because now I want to do something different. I’m like, ‘What’s next?'” Anyone who knows me knows that I have ideas. I have an idea. ”

Jordan said the event felt like “the ultimate home” as she looked around the room filled with people who had witnessed different parts of her journey. Jordan expressed gratitude to his family, co-stars, collaborators, and various members of his team, but his breath caught when he looked at Coogler.

“Finding a collaborator like him early in my career changed everything for me. Words cannot describe the impact you had on me and my life,” he said after a long pause. (“My friends and family were betting on how many times I would cry tonight,” Jordan admitted.)

To conclude his speech, Jordan focused his remarks on the power of storytelling to be a light in heavy times. “It’s a blessing to wake up and do what we do for a living every day,” he said, quoting author Toni Morrison. “If there’s a book you really want to read and it hasn’t been written yet, you have to write it.” So, artists, plant your seeds, find your allies, and build with them. And to those who make decisions about what stories are told: Be bold. Take risks. Stories like this are important. ”