The Source Magazine sat down with “That Awkward Moment” star Michael B. Jordan. Check out what he had to say about the film out Friday.
Q: In any past relationships, have you ever had ‘that awkward moment’ yourself?
Jordan: Yeah, I’ve had it. I think every guy that’s dated a girl or hasn’t been straightaway into a relationship has had that ‘so…’ moment where a girl is like, ‘Hey what are you doing?’ Yeah, I’ve definitely had that moment before.
Q: How did you get involved with “That Awkward Moment”?
Jordan: I’ve known Zac for a few years…through mutual friends, you know stuff like that. We always talked about doing projects together and I originally passed on the project a few times, I just didn’t think it was right for me at the time. And then I read the script, sat down with Tom, our writer/director and we talked it out. Me and Zac, we went out on one trip and we just hung out and I was like, ‘You know what man? It’s probably something I should do. I ended up just signing on and getting it done.’
Q: Can you talk about working alongside Zac and Miles?
Jordan: Those guys are awesome. Miles is extremely funny, I told him as we were doing the project, ‘Look man, I know you do comedy and you’re pretty good in comedy, so I’ll take a backseat on this one. I’m gonna give you this one. You got this one. But I’ll learn. So I’m gonna get your ass on the drama…I’ll kick your ass. But it was…Miles is a funny dude and Zac as well. Very well prepared, very honest. It was cool working with those two guys.
Q: Did you and the two of them do anything off set to build up the chemistry? That’s obviously one of the most important parts of the movie.
Jordan: Yeah, we went out in New York. Me and Zac and Imogen Poots who plays Ellie and Tom Gormican, our director. We went to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York and we just hung out for a couple of days. Went through the script, just relaxed, bonded. That kind of built me and Zac’s friendship even more and then Miles was off working, so when he got back in town it was cool for us…he just fit right in. Miles just literally fit in…it was like knowing him for years. It was a good time.
Q: It sounds like it. It just looks like you’re having so much fun.
Jordan: I do man, it was so much fun shooting this film. It was the most fun I’ve had on set. And off.
Q: In the movie you have Jessica Lucas as a love interest. Can you talk about working with her?
Jordan: Oh yeah, Jessica was awesome as well. It was quick, we shot this thing in 25 days. So it was a quick shoot. So she came in, shot her stuff, then took off. I didn’t spend a lot of time with her at all, but working with her on set…she’s always just prepared, always ready to go, very giving. She rocked it. You kind of don’t like her in this film, which is a testament to her work and how good she took on that role. It was fun.
Q: How was it working with Tom? First time writer/director, how was that experience?
Jordan: Yeah, I’m not shying away from first time writer/director’s, my last three films were with first time writer/directors. Josh Trank, Ryan Coogler, Tom Gormican. Someone took a chance on me with my first time at anything. It’s like…you see their vision, like Tom’s vision…so funny, he has such a sense of humor and I’ve gotta trust him. It was my first time doing a comedy, so he had to trust me as well, but just I trust his sense of humor. So I knew he would be funny since he’s a funny dude so it was like…it just worked out.
Q: As you said, this was your first comedy. Was your approach different to the role of Mikey than compared to your dramatic roles?
Jordan: I mean, not as much. I think you just gotta find the real moments, let the comedy come from the situation. Not that much of a difference, I still do the homework, break down the scripts, arc the character out, you know the same shit. but for the most part it was just a different point of view from a guy trying to make it work.
Q: There’s a great cameo during the end credits of the movie, won’t say who to avoid spoiling it for people. Was it planned or did it just happen?
Jordan: Yeah, towards the end. HBO is such a tight group. Not to ruin it for anybody, but we were shooting in Brooklyn and he hit me up randomly and I’m like, ‘Oh man I’m just working a shoot. You wanna come by?’ He came by, everybody’s big fans of the show. It just worked out. Tom was like, ‘Hey you wanna do something?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, cool.’
Q: Last year, you starred in “Fruitvale Station,” which was one of the best films of the year. Can you talk about the experience of “Fruitvale” and the year-long ride that went along with it?
Jordan: Man, it’s still going. It’s been incredible. All the accolades and the attention, the stories, it’s been getting is just a testament to the work that we put into it, you know, I feel like the more attention that it gets, the more people will see it and the story will get told again and again because it can’t keep happening. The reach of this film has grown tremendously over the past year, I mean it’s gone to France, it’s gone to Zurich, it’s gone to Dubai, it’s going to Rome in a couple of weeks. It’s been everywhere. It speaks volumes to the project, not just being a domestic film. It speaks to being a human film. It’s been an incredible ride, I’m having so much fun.
Q: Can you talk about your most memorable celebrity encounter while celebrating “Fruitvale” throughout awards season?
Jordan: Probably would be sitting down with Oprah. Doing my one on one with Oprah was probably it…it’s between that and Sidney Poitier. Like meeting him and have him saying some words of encouragement and telling me he’s a big fan and he appreciates the work I was like…man, hearing him…just motivated me more to kind of get back and work and just ready to go. Sitting down with Oprah was…she’s like female Jesus. She’s awesome.
Q: Couldn’t have described it better myself.
Jordan: Yeah, she’s a great person.
Q: Can you tell us some of your favorite hip hop artists?
Jordan: I’m listening to a lot of Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, 2 Chainz, Mayer Hawthorne…been listening to him a lot lately. I’m very collective with my music. This girl named Tinashe, she’s out in L.A., she’s really good. I’m listening to her mix tape a lot. Wale, I listen to…I’m a big East Coast fan…Biggie, The Lox, Jadakiss, old school. I listen to a lot of music. R&B as well, I listen to Trey. It’s a lot of people that I respect that I listen to.
Q: Final question, do you have anything coming up in the future?
Jordan: Yeah I do I just honestly can’t talk about it. Literally, if you catch me in two weeks I might be able to.
Q: Two weeks.
Jordan: The next two weeks something has to happen, somewhere. Once one’s locked down the other things will fall into place. I’m just trying to figure out my year, honestly.
Q: There are many rumors surrounding you in “Fantastic Four.”
Jordan: Yeah, I’ve heard’ em. I just can’t! I can’t. It is what it is.
-Joshua Kaye
