Michael B Jordan's Childhood Memory with Jazz Legend Tony Bennett
The Golden Globe-nominated actor recalls his unexpected encounter with the legendary crooner during a 1998 album cover shoot when he was just 11 years old.
With his first Golden Globe nomination now secured for the wildly entertaining vampire thriller Sinners, Michael B Jordan appears poised for even greater heights in his already impressive career. While he's firmly established himself as a major Hollywood player through blockbuster hits like the Rocky spinoff Creed and Marvel's Black Panther, his dual role as twin brothers in Sinners—directed by longtime friend and collaborator Ryan Coogler—showcased an entirely new level of acting prowess.
Awards Season Buzz and Future Projects
An Oscar nomination seems likely to follow his Golden Globe recognition, though this year's competition promises to be fierce. Jordan faces stiff competition from Leonardo DiCaprio's work in One Battle After Another, Joel Edgerton's performance in Train Dreams, and Jesse Plemons in Bugonia. However, the actor likely isn't dwelling on potential awards, staying busy with numerous upcoming ventures both in front of and behind the camera.
His directorial work continues with the latest Creed installment, and he's already preparing for a fourth film in the franchise. Additionally, he's set to star in and direct a new version of the classic Steve McQueen art heist film The Thomas Crown Affair. His schedule also includes Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, marking his second adaptation of the action author's work following 2021's Without Remorse.
A Childhood Encounter with a Jazz Icon
During promotion for Without Remorse, Jordan shared memories of relocating from America's East Coast to the West, including a surprising connection to the late Tony Bennett, the legendary singer famous for his love of San Francisco. Back in 1998, when Jordan was just a kid, Bennett traveled to New York for an album cover photoshoot for The Playground, a collection of children's songs.
The album cover features Bennett smiling in the foreground with a group of children playing behind him—one of whom was the future Hollywood star. Jordan remembered the experience fondly: "I was 11 years old, so I didn't know much about him. But I remember him being very nice. He signed autographs for everybody and everything. It was cool."
Bennett's Legacy and Jordan's Musical Connections
Though Bennett originated from New York City and worked extensively in New Jersey clubs during the 1940s, he became most famous for "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and spent considerable time performing in Las Vegas. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he achieved worldwide success, eventually becoming recognized as one of jazz's greatest vocalists. After selling over 50 million albums, his final recording was a 2021 collaboration with Lady Gaga, released two years before his death at age 96.
Jordan's own passion for music plays a significant role in Sinners and frequently appears on his social media, where he shares clips of himself singing R&B tracks. He's appeared in music videos for artists like Swedish performer Snoh Alegra and created a Spotify playlist for Without Remorse featuring songs he used to prepare for action sequences. Among his upcoming projects is Methuselah, an action film directed by Danny Boyle about a thousand-year-old man with extraordinary fighting abilities.