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What made you decide to work with
Coach?
“It was the perfect fit. They care about a lot
of t he sa me v a lues I c a re about. L i ke g iv i ng
back—that was a big part of it, honestly.
Being able to have a philanthropic arm—I
was able to give back to my community
and less fortunate communities, which I
think is really important. But also, they’re
unapologetically who they are. They’ve
changed and evolved over the years, but
they’re still themselves. I look at myself
that way as well.”
We already know what you smell like—
Coach, of course!—but what about some
of your characters? For example, I think
Killmonger (from Black Panther) probably
smells like cocoa butter and gunpowder.
“Damn, that’s actually spot-on! I was
getting ready to say gunpowder. And
shea butter.”
What about little Vince Howard (from
Friday Night Lights)?
“Vince Howard smells like fresh-cut
grass and Texas heat. He’s always at a
barbecue; his clothes probably have like
a smoky flavour.”
Adonis from Creed?
“In the first film, he’s an accountant in a
stuffy office, so I think from going back
and forth to Mexico and always in a suit
and tie...maybe Bengay? Tiger Balm? In
the second film, he’s a grown man. He’s
more of who he is. I think he’d be a little
more cologne-driven.”
Let’s talk about your connection to fashion
and how it has evolved over time. How do
you see yourself in terms of style?
“Outside of the red carpet, I didn’t really
have much of a personal style. Most of
the time I’d wear a character’s clothes, or
during downtime on-set, I’d just be com-
fortable: sweats, hoodies, kicks. Once it got
to the point where the paparazzi and people
were asking for pictures, I was like, ‘Okay,
I guess I can’t wear the same black T-shirt
all the time!’ [Laughs] In this Instagram
world, I get tagged in my favourite hoodie
and then I can’t wear it anymore.”
In your podcast with Coach, you talked
about courage and getting past fear.
What is one thing you fear—even if it’s
irrational?
“Because I’m in the process of building
companies right now, it’s ‘Did I choose the
right person [for the job?]’ I’m trying to
get to the point where I can delegate and
defer...so I think my biggest fear is trusting
that the person I gave this responsibility to
i s t a k i ng c a re of it a nd not t r ippi ng o ff of it .”
What have you learned from working
w i t h Rya n C o og l e r [t h e d i re c t o r o f Creed,
Fruitvale Station and Black Panther]?
“I’ve learned that there’s no substitute
for just being authentic and being who
you are. Ryan doesn’t change; he doesn’t
co de - s w itch. He’s ju st h i m sel f. He’s fea rles s
when he decides to do something and
gives it everything he’s got. I’m trying to
take a couple of pages out of that book.
Stepping out, wanting to direct and having
the confidence that I can do those sorts of
things—I got that from him.”
How much of this shift—with you taking
more control behind the scenes as a
producer—is legacy building versus pure
ambition? What’s driving you to get more
involved in other aspects of the business?
“All of the above. I think legacy is definitely
a by-product of it all—and hopefully what
I end up with. The drive partially comes
from remembering a time of limited
opportunity—when the phone wasn’t
ringing as often. I’m the type of person
who tries to put people I care about in
a position to win. That’s why I want to
produce—to tell stories, of course, to
produce movies that I’m in, of course.
But u lt i m ately I wa nt to b e able to ident i f y
other talents and put them on. So with
childhood friends, for example, I’m asking
‘What are you good at?’ It doesn’t have
to be acting or entertainment; I like to
be able to see strengths in people. I like
to fix things; I like to problem solve. It’s
part of the reason why I do things. It’s
hard for me to see opportunity and not
take advantage of it. It’s hard for me to
see something that can be elevated or
fixed or improved upon and not improve
it. It’s like, ‘You know better; you’ve got
to do better.’ I think ‘Why not me?’ I feel
like anything’s attainable; I really and
truly do.”
Michael B. Jordan’s achievements are outpacing his ambition.
Staying Power
Jordan is the face of the woody Coach
for Men Eau de Toilette Spray ($108 for
100 mL) and the fresh Coach Platinum Eau
de Parfum Spray ($115 for 100 mL). For
details, see Shopping Guide.IT’S THE DAY AFTER the Met Gala, the fashion equivalent of the Oscars, and
Michael B. Jordan is feeling a little delicate. It was a (very) late night, but it’s nothing a
little herbal tea sweetened with copious amounts of honey can’t fix, which the 32-year-
old sips liberally throughout our lively conversation. We’re at the 1 Hotel in Brooklyn
in a brick-walled suite straight out of a film set, safely nestled in a soft brown-leather
sofa so large that it will definitely take a few tries to climb out of it. Jordan, a thoughtful
and multi-faceted actor, has just teamed up with Oprah Winfrey to executive-produce
the coming-of-age drama series David Makes Man. He’s one of Hollywood’s brightest
new stars and has the blockbuster film credits—from the record-breaking Black Panther
to Creed—and brand partnerships to prove it. With his impressive side gig as Coach’s
first male global ambassador now expanding into men’s fragrances, we’re curious to
find out just how deep Jordan’s connection to scent and identity is.