Michael B. Jordan Receives American Cinematheque Award In Heartfelt Evening All About Movies

The American Cinematheque Award is not meant to be a “Life Achievement” honor like the AFI bestows, but rather a “mid-career” tribute, at least most of the time, and Thursday night at the Beverly Hilton Ballroom Michael B. Jordan became, at 38, one of the youngest-ever recipients. In fact, he is only a year younger than this awards show, which celebrated its 39th time handing out this prestigious award (Eddie Murphy was the first in 1986, and he was really young at 25 when he got it). The fact is Jordan has been at it for a quarter of a century, making his debut in a bit role in The Sopranos when he was 12 in 1999.

As he sat in an upper-tier center table with his parents, siblings and friends, it was clear this was turning into an overwhelming evening for him. He told me it was something he couldn’t imagine, that is, by the very nature of the evening, “celebrating me and having others celebrate me,” adding that this was not a career he thought he would ever have; he dreamed of heading to the NBA early in his life, he told me. Well, it turned out pretty well for him as witnessed by expertly produced clip packages showing the breadth and depth of his talents in all genres, even comedy, with some hilarious segments from his hosting stint on Saturday Night Live.

(L-R) Miles Caton, Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson perform Thursday

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A group of A-listers turned up in person on a rainy night in L.A. to sing his praises, with a handful on tape such as Tom Cruise and Angela Bassett. After a knockout performance of the song “I Lied To You” from Sinners performed by the trio of musical talents responsible for it — Ludwig Goransson, Raphael Saadiq, and Miles Caton, the co-star who sings it in the movie — Ben Affleck was the first star to take the stage, hilariously riffing on the famous name his parents gave Jordan when he was born in 1987.

“And in 1987, another guy with a similar name had 35 points a year and got picked for his fourth straight all-star game, won defensive player of the year, and his first MVP award. And his folks were like, ‘We’re gonna name our boy, Michael Jordan’,” Affleck said. “This was not an exercise in low expectations … this was not an exercise is bulldozer parenting where the parents want to make things easy for the boy. They named him Michael Jordan. They might as well have named him F*ck You. First day at school, ‘Hey Dave Williams, how’s it going?’ ‘All right, F*ck You, how you doing?’ I mean, was Muhammad Ali taken? Damn. That’s a way of telling your son, ‘We expect big things.’ Well, they got them.”

Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali introduced a segment on Jordan’s beginnings as an actor. “I’d like you all to take a journey with me to a time before the awards and accolades. Before Michael was a multi-hyphenate actor, producer, director. Before he became one of the most sought-after leading men, and bachelors, in Hollywood,” he smiled. “A time we all affectionately refer to as ‘the ’90s’.”

(L-R) Mark Badagliacca, Eric Nebot, Michael B. Jordan and Rick Nicita

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Octavia Spencer spoke before introducing the “breakthrough” segment of clips as Jordan started gaining major roles including Fruitvale Station, playing the real-life Oscar Grant who died tragically and whose story became the first of five collaborations with director Ryan Coogler. Spencer played his mother. “I always thought of him as a character actor with a beautiful leading man’s face and unstoppable work ethic,” she said.

A trio involved in the Creed trilogy each came on separately to talk about their experiences working with Jordan, who also made his directorial debut in addition to his acting duties on Creed lll. Producer Irwin Winkler, who won a Best Picture Oscar for Rocky 10 years before Jordan was even born, told of how Coogler and Jordan came to him to make the spinoff of the Rocky franchise. Phylicia Rashad, who played his mother in the series, nearly tripped on stage but caught herself in time to give some charming anecdotes, and Tessa Thompson, who played his wife, got big laughs in her comments.

“Mr. Jordan and I began our on-screen relationship playing soulmates as Adonis and Bianca Creed over a decade ago. And, for better or worse, it is the longest relationship either one of us has ever been in. We, even as our character couple, have been to therapy together — something many real couples ought to do, but don’t. Point is: I know my work husband extremely well,” she said. 

Bradley Cooper came on to say he is just a friend, never having working with Jordan — yet. He introduced the segment on Jordan’s “heroic” roles. “You’ve become a hero to so many — not just because of the characters you play, but because of who you are. You’re bold, you’re curious, you’re strong, and you’re humble in a way that makes the rest of us wonder if you have a secret contract with the universe,” he said. “And the wild part? You’re only 38. Thirty-eight! That’s the age where most of us are just figuring out how to keep our house plants alive.”

Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya spoke of working with Jordan in Black Panther, in which Jordan played the complicated villain Killmonger. Before describing that experience and showing clips from the film, he asked the audience to join in a moment of silence for the film’s star, Chadwick Boseman, who ironically got a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier in the day.

Delroy Lindo introduced the section on Jordan’s most recent film, the smash hit Sinners, for which there is lots of Oscar buzz for his dual role as twin gangsters-turned-entrepreneurs. “This sort of role is the challenge of a lifetime for an actor. Michael, you rose to the occasion and then soared even higher. Ryan, the entire Sinners team, and I are all so proud,” he said.

(L-R) Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler

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Coogler presented the award to Jordan but threw out his prepared speech because he said everyone on stage had already said the good parts of it. Instead he listed off various anecdotes about their cinematic relationship. “How do you sum up 13 years of a partnership and brotherhood in a speech?,” he asked, and then pointed out Jordan’s many philanthropic activities, his success as a businessman, family man, his loyalty, his prowess as a director and producer, but most of all his immense talents as an actor. “He represents the best of us, and all of us.”

Donna Jordan, Jamila Jordan-Theus, Khalid Jordan, Michael A. Jordan and guests

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When Jordan made it to the stage he was at a loss for words, emotional and genuinely moved by Coogler’s introduction. He had told me he literally had just wrapped directing and starring in a new “reimagination” of the twice-before made The Thomas Crown Affair and just flew back in time for this night.

“This has been the ultimate homecoming gift. I’ve been away from home for almost a year, working on my next film. And now I get to reconnect with you. Because that’s what tonight is about for me: building dreams,” he said to the crowd. “When I look around this room, I see the people who were there from the beginning — with prayer, with support, with belief. … Toni Morrison said, ‘If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’ So to the artists — plant your seeds. Find your people. Build with them. And to the people making decisions about what stories get told — be bold. Take the risk. These stories matter. The win is always in the outlier.”

The evening also honored the Motion Picture Association and Charles H. Rivkin with the Power of Cinema Award which was presented by NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley. “For the past 103 years, whenever the creative community has needed an advocate, the Motion Picture Association has been there to represent our industry at every turn. It has defended our freedom of expression, protected our artistic creations, and with its iconic film rating system, built extraordinary trust with families across the nation,” she said before bringing on Rivkin, who has headed the organization for nearly a decade.

NBCUniversal Studios & Entertainment chairman Donna Langley and MPA chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin

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With seeming government interference and threats increasing every day, without getting specific, Rivkin made it clear freedom was his mantra. “When the world feels uncertain, and the future unpredictable we go to the mat for your freedom, your freedom to speak, and innovate, to give us something to watch and reason to wonder. That freedom can never, ever be taken for granted. That freedom is fundamental to filmmaking, to our democracy, to our way of life. That freedom must always be preserved,” he said.

Opening the evening was American Cinematheque chairman Rick Nicita, who spoke about the successful year the organization has had and expansion of some signature series such as Bleak Weak: Cinema of Despair, Beyond Fest and This Is Not a Fiction, among others. He also touted the just-announced partnership to renovate and reopen (in 2027) the legendary Village Westwood Theatre, which was saved by a consortium of directors. He introduced Jason Reitman, who has been leading the cause, to say a few words.

“Charlie Chaplin once said, ‘Cinemas and theaters are the beating hearts of our communities because they contribute to making them more human. If a city is alive, it is in thanks to these cultural spaces.’ Actually, that wasn’t Charlie Chaplin, that was the Pope and he said it last week. Did anyone else see this? The Pope made a speech about the vitality of movie theaters. We might actually have a Jewish pope,” he laughed.

Jason Reitman on Thursday night

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“Last year, 35 directors came together like some nerdy Avengers to save the Fox Theater in Westwood — the largest and most beautiful theater in Los Angeles. Maybe the country … I know what you’re thinking — we paid a fortune to come to this dinner. Is this *sshole really about to ask us for more money? The answer is yes … A movie isn’t something we watch at home on our laptops. A movie is something we watch together. A movie is a communal celebration. It’s like going to church. And if the Village Theater is a cathedral, American Cinematheque is the congregation.”

In the audience were two of those directors, Guillermo del Toro and Brad Silberling, and Reitman also announced two new members, last year’s four-time Oscar winner Sean Baker and Euphoria’s Sam Levinson. More power to them.

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