‘Black Panther’ Star Michael B. Jordan Felt ‘A Little Bit Depressed’ After Filming Wrapped
Marvel’s Black Panther was one of the biggest cultural phenomenons of 2018. Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, and Forest Whitaker, among others, it marked the first time that Marvel Studios had produced a superhero film in which the majority of the cast was Black. Viewers and critics alike loved the film’s direction, costumes, performances, soundtrack, and themes, with many claiming it to be one of the best films in the Marvel universe.
Of all the performances featured in Black Panther, “Killmonger,” played by Michael B. Jordan, received the most praise. Killmonger was an interesting character, one whose radical outlook on life and determination to liberate his people resonated with many viewers. However, Michael B. Jordan has since expressed how playing the role had a deep psychological impact on him, one that took quite some time to recover from.
‘Black Panther’ was a massive commercial and critical success
Black Panther was truly unlike any other film Marvel Studios had ever produced. Set in the fictional African country of Wakanda (a highly developed nation with extreme technological advancement), the film explored many themes including cultural pride, Black nationalism, international relations, and more.
But beyond Black Panther’s unique storyline and thematic elements, there was one other thing that set it apart from every other film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; up until the movie’s development, there had never been a superhero film in which the cast was predominantly Black. In both the Marvel universe and the film industry overall this was a major breakthrough, as relatively few films had had a majority Black cast.
The excitement surrounding the development of Black Panther paid off in a major way, with $1.3 billion box office earnings making it one of the highest-grossing films of 2018, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It also became the highest-grossing film by a Black director and was nominated for seven academy awards, winning three for costume design, original score, and production design.
Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger character had a lasting impact on him
One of the most popular characters of the film was Killmonger, a rebel from Oakland, California played by Michael B. Jordan. The role was unique for Jordan because until then, he had only played roles as the protagonist in films. However, in Black Panther, he was characterized as a ruthless, cunning warrior who sought to take Wakanda’s Vibranium-fueled technology and use it to start a worldwide revolution.
Interestingly enough, after wrapping production, Jordan found it difficult to break away from the character psychologically. In an interview with The Bill Simmons Podcast, Jordan explained: “I never was in a character for that long of a period of time and [never] was, I guess, that dark, that lonely, that painful.” He continued: “I found myself kind of in the routine of being isolated and went out of my way to make sure I was by myself and didn’t say too much more than the usual. Once I got finished wrapping the movie, it took me some time to talk through how I was feeling and why I was feeling so sad and like a little bit depressed.”
Michael B. Jordan’s career has continued to flourish since ‘Black Panther’
Although Jordan was already a well-known and respected actor prior to Black Panther’s release, the success of the film definitely helped his career. In the same year of the film’s release, he was selected to star in the film adaption of Fahrenheit 451 and Creed II.
He has also starred in Just Mercy, a powerful historical drama about the criminal justice system and its inequities. Although Jordan has definitely made the most of the momentum he gained working on Black Panther, fans are surely just glad he’s okay.
