MICHAEL
B. JORDAN
IS MORE
THAN A HERO
Our next great movie star is making
Hollywood inclusive—onscreen and off
BY KARA BROWN
The sTorefronT enTrance of The Under-
ground Museum, on a busy street in central Los An-
geles, is easy to miss. Inside, it feels like somebody’s
stylish home: there are shelves lined with books,
framed art and baskets of records. The museum was
launched in 2012 with the mission to bring museum-
quality art to a community—and neighborhood—
that previously had little access to it. Beyoncé has
been spotted, John Legend used the space to launch
an album, and Barry Jenkins hosted a screening of
Moonlight here.
Michael B. Jordan has never been here before, but
once he arrives—wearing a blindingly white T-shirt
and a friendly grin—he can’t get enough. As we walk
around, he pulls out his phone to make a note about
one of the exhibits so he can look it up later. He
doesn’t exactly fidget, but there’s an anxious energy
to him even as he sits still on a bench in the spacious
garden. When he wants to make a point, he leans in
and looks down, concentrating, wanting to get the
words right. “I’m a naturally quiet person,” he says.
“Actions speak louder than words.”
For Jordan, it’s easier to inhabit a role than to talk
about it. But there’s a lot to discuss when it comes