Michael B. Jordan wins Best Actor Oscar for ‘Sinners’

US actor Michael B. Jordan on Sunday won the Best Actor Oscar at the 98th Academy Awards for his performance in the vampire-race fable “Sinners.”

At 39, Jordan joins a select group of Black actors to have won the prestigious award, alongside Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, and Will Smith.

Jordan, who portrayed twins confronting pure evil in the supernatural tale, built on the momentum from his SAG Award win two weeks earlier to secure the Academy Award in his first attempt. He beat frontrunner Timothée Chalamet of “Marty Supreme,” Leonardo DiCaprio (“One Battle After Another”), Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent”) and Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”).

An emotional Jordan dedicated his win to those who paved the way for him. “I stand here because of the people who came before me,” he said during his acceptance speech.

‘Sinners’, a story set in 1930s Mississippi, explores racial segregation through the tale of Smoke and Stack, World War I veterans who return home to open an off-the-books juke joint during Prohibition. Jordan’s dual roles depict their struggle to help the locals while fending off attacks from white vampires.

The roles fit perfectly with director Ryan Coogler’s recurring character types for Jordan — complex, often tormented men. Their collaboration began with “Fruitvale Station” (2013), followed by “Creed” and “Black Panther”, establishing Jordan as a versatile actor capable of intense, layered performances.

Coogler praised Jordan’s natural charisma, telling The New York Times, “As soon as you put the camera on him, you just naturally care about the guy.” Jordan admitted the director’s mentorship gave him the confidence to pursue challenging roles in Hollywood despite the barriers Black actors often face.

Born on February 9, 1987, in California and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Jordan started in modelling at age 11 before moving to TV and film. His early credits include “The Wire,” “All My Children,” and “Friday Night Lights”, before transitioning to movies with “Red Tails” (2012) and solidifying his film career with “Fruitvale Station.”