‘Where’s Wallace?’ — Michael B. Jordan Initially Auditioned For a Completely Different Role on ‘The Wire’

Michael B. Jordan is internationally known today for starring in massive blockbuster films such as Black Panther and Creed, but the Without Remorse star initially got his acting chops on TV. He entered the entertainment industry when he was a preteen, with his first role being a small, forgettable part on The Sopranos.

Jordan’s profile grew after he landed a recurring role in the universally acclaimed HBO crime drama, The Wire. The series did a lot to set up Jordan’s career in Hollywood and helped him transition into bigger, more important roles in later TV shows and films. 

Even though relatively speaking, Jordan’s time on The Wire was pretty short, his character, Wallace remains one of the show’s most popular. However, Wire fans might be surprised to find out that Jordan initially went out for a completely different role when he first auditioned for the show. 

Michael B. Jordan originally auditioned for a different role in ‘The Wire’

Jordan revealed which role he initially auditioned for during a resurfaced 2019 interview with Vanity Fair. 

“The Wire was a very pivotal moment in my career,” Jordan said. “First time I auditioned for Alexa Fogel, [I] went in for Bodie at first.” 

Jordan ended up not getting the role because he didn’t look old enough, but was given a shot at another part instead. 

“I read for him, and I was too young so they brought me back the next day for Wallace, and I ended up booking the role,” Jordan added. 

Nobody expected ‘The Wire’ to develop the cult following it has today

Even though The Wire is recognized today as one of the greatest shows of all time, the series struggled to maintain viewership during its initial run. None of the actors on set realized how impactful the series would later be. 

“Again, another one of those shows—and I guess characters—that in its first season, we never knew what it was actually going to be,” Jordan said. “We were actually supposed to be canceled after season one and it got renewed.”

Despite his character’s quick exit from The Wire, Jordan still gets a ton of love from fans every day. 

“I take pride in Wallace because, you know, being an OG of the show, one of the original cast members, even though I got killed off toward the end of the season, it seemed to be a death on television that resonates with a lot of people, even today. I still get the ‘Where’s Wallace?’ shoutouts as I’m walking through the street.” 

‘The Wire’ helped him tremendously with landing future roles

When Jordan first found out that Wallace was going to be killed off, he was devastated. However, the success of The Wire opened a lot of doors for his career.

“I think a lot of the right people watched that show, at that point in my career,” Jordan said. “A lot of casting directors, a lot of producers, a lot of people in powerful places that I guess became fans at a young age. So when I did audition for the next show or got a chance to take general meetings and stuff like that it was always a lot of love, so that went a long way.

Now that Jordan is an international superstar worth millions of dollars, it’s safe to say that everything worked out just fine.