Being in Denzel Washington’s presence would cause just about anyone to gush, and this includes a star as big as Michael B. Jordan, who couldn’t help but sing his praises. Jordan had the privilege of being directed by Washington in the romantic drama A Journal for Jordan and, as the actor began gearing up to direct Creed III, he used the opportunity to learn a few things. The Hollywood star has now recalled how his time with the two-time Oscar winner helped to inform his directorial debut.
They may be two of the entertainment industry’s biggest stars, but it doesn’t appear that there were any any ego clashes between Michael B. Jordan and Denzel Washington while they worked together. This really shouldn’t be too surprising, given Washington has served as a mentor to him in recent years. Working with the legendary actor on A Journal for Jordan served as a training ground for the Black Panther star. The Creed III director recently revealed to Entertainment Weekly what he took from the veteran star that he’ll carry over into his directorial debut:
Answering the third one last, it definitely prepared me for Creed III. I think just asking him a shiton of questions, and observing how he runs a set, how he communicates with department heads, and just the process of what to look for and what to expect on a day-to-day grind. So, it was definitely the right project for me to do right before [Creed III], for sure.
Of course, he took note of Denzel Washington’s every decision like a type-A student. Who wouldn’t? Given the multiple hats the actor is wearing with Creed III, he was probably open to all the wisdom he could get. Though he’s still one of our finest actors, Washington has proven he is more than capable behind the camera through films like Fences and The Great Debaters. So it makes sense that someone would want to watch him at work.
During the same interview, Michael B. Jordan reflected on the smaller things he picked up from his director and fellow actor. Jordan seems to have a particularly strong appreciation of the filmmaker’s attention to detail. The actor further explained how Washington’s directing style informed his, saying:
Being directed by Denzel, it’s like you had a master class at everything. He shows up every day to work to give it his all. He leaves with nothing in the tank, so you’ve got to match that energy and that drive. So, it definitely pushed me to do more. That was an incredible experience. Character development, breaking down characters, just getting to the micro of everything, being as specific as possible. It raised my game in a lot of ways, so I’m extremely grateful for that process.
Michael B. Jordan is sure to cherish his experience working with Denzel Washington. What’s also great is that Washington just continues to prove that he is more than willing to help (and also learn from) younger actors. Hopefully, Jordan’s observation will translate to the big screen once Creed III arrives in theaters on November 23, 2022. Ahead of that though, moviegoers can see the result of his collaboration with the Training Day vet when A Journal for Jordan hit theaters on December 10.