Michael B. Jordan Shares His Journey with Therapy and Inspires Men to Seek Help Too

Michael B. Jordan in ‘Black Panther’.
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Marvel/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

NEED TO KNOW

• Michael B. Jordan opened up about his experience with therapy after his role in Black Panther.
• He stated the character lingered with him longer than expected.
• Jordan highlighted the overall positives he gained from therapy.

Michael B. Jordan recently discussed the profound impact of his role as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther during an interview on January 4. The 38-year-old actor shared insights with CBS correspondent Tracy Smith, revealing how the character, a formidable black ops mercenary and cousin to Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, affected him emotionally after filming.

“Yes, it kind of stuck with me for a bit,” Jordan explained. He admitted that he sought therapy to help process the character’s weight, saying, “I went to therapy and talked about it. Found a way to kind of just decompress, I think at that point still learning that I needed to decompress from a character.”

While his initial motivation for attending therapy stemmed from this role, Jordan reflected that it opened the door to a broader journey of self-discovery. He now views therapy as “necessary for people” and emphasized its importance, particularly for men. “I think it’s good for them to go and talk,” he asserted. “That’s something I’m not ashamed of at all, and very proud of.”

Michael B. Jordan (left) and Chadwick Boseman in ‘Black Panther’.

Marvel/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

Jordan is presently generating significant Oscar buzz for his dual role in the upcoming film Sinners, where he portrays twins Smoke and Stack.

The actor’s exploration of therapy isn’t confined to Black Panther. In 2023, his Creed co-star Tessa Thompson revealed in an interview that she and Jordan attended couple’s therapy to prepare for Creed III. She noted the blurry line between character and personal experience, explaining, “The line sometimes between character and us gets blurred because we bring so much of what we’re exploring personally to the characters.”

Thompson remarked on how their therapy sessions served as both a professional and personal experience, stating, “But I think it reminded us of our own personal lives that going to therapy, even when a relationship is good, can be a good thing if you’re trying to just sharpen communication.”

Michael B. Jordan on Jan. 4.

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Reflecting on their years of working together since the first Creed film’s release in 2015, Thompson noted, “We’ve seen each other through various stages in our own romantic things.” She elaborated that their therapy conversations began in a professional setting but soon delved into personal territory, strengthening their communication skills both on and off-screen.

In a separate interview, Jordan mentioned that he has deferred his timeline for fatherhood while prioritizing his career. He expressed a desire to be the “best dad” he can be, but acknowledged that work remains his immediate focus: “Just because I’m competitive, and I know I would want to be the best dad. But right now, I’m trying to do my best at this part [of my life] as well.”

Jordan reflected on the responsibilities of fatherhood, saying, “Like, my dad had two kids at this age, you know what I’m saying? But you got to realize, the time you do put in, you’re building something solid.”