Denzel Washington Warned Michael B. Jordan About Overexposure
Michael B. Jordan is proving that staying off social media might just be one of the smartest moves in Hollywood. With the massive box office success of Sinners—a vampire thriller directed by longtime collaborator Ryan Coogler and earning over $350 million worldwide—Jordan’s strategy of selective visibility seems to be paying off.
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In a recent New York Magazine cover story, Jordan opened up about his intentional decision to keep a low profile online and in the press. “I don’t post much and I don’t share my personal life,” Jordan said, explaining that his goal is to “create a demand” around his name and image.
That approach didn’t come out of nowhere. Jordan revealed that one of his biggest influences, Denzel Washington, once offered him a blunt but powerful piece of advice: “Why would they pay to see you on a weekend if they see you all week for free?” The words stuck, and Jordan has modeled much of his off-screen presence around the idea of mystery and exclusivity—two things he believes help preserve movie star appeal.
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Jordan’s journey to leading-man status didn’t happen overnight. Though he had early roles in films like Hardball, it was television that first put him on the map, with standout performances in The Wire and Friday Night Lights. But for a time, he wasn’t sure where his career was going.
“I was really, really, really unsure of what my career was going to be,” he said. “I just wanted to do an independent film, something that could show what I could really do.” That opportunity came in the form of Fruitvale Station, a passion project written and directed by Ryan Coogler. The film became a breakthrough moment for both men, launching a creative partnership that would later lead to Creed, Black Panther, and now, Sinners.
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It’s clear that Jordan isn’t interested in fame for fame’s sake. His manager, Phillip Sun, echoed that sentiment: “Mike deserves to be a leading man, period. He happens to be a Black leading man. But we weren’t chasing roles just based on color. We chased everything.”
Jordan may have 25 million followers on Instagram, but he uses the platform sparingly—usually just around the release of a new film. He avoids other popular platforms like X and TikTok altogether.
Denzel Washington, who directed Jordan in A Journal for Jordan, has remained a guiding presence in his career. The advice he gave Jordan isn’t just about social media—it’s about legacy, control, and protecting the power of being seen at just the right time.
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Denzel Washington Warned Michael B. Jordan About Overexposure was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com
