Creed III has been praised since its release last Friday. In particular for its performance from Jonathan Majors, who plays Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson, a former friend of Adonis who spent 18 years behind bars and who has his sights set on becoming a heavyweight boxing champ after his release. In a recent interview with Majors, the 33-year-old actor said that Nipsey Hussle’s music helped him prepare for his role.
Majors said in a recent interview with Slashfilmthat in order to prepare for the role, he had to listen to music that he thought his character would most likely listen to. This included music from west coast rap legends, 2Pac and Nipsey Hussle.
“All of Nipsey’s stuff was really helpful. They’re from the same area, Dame and him, so that’s cool,” Majors said. “There’s also dialect work, and so he’s rapping in his L.A. sound. The things he’s talking about are things that resonate with the world that Dame comes from, so that was very helpful.”
He added: “There’s other songs that come from your subconscious that touch you in a way that can align you. You write that song next to the top of the page or whatever, and there’s playlist upon playlist upon playlist. Those can curate it into ‘This is that scene’ or ‘This is that moment.’”
For those that saw the movie, you would know that Nipsey’s music made it into the film. Spoiler alert: in his first fight after being released, Dame comes out to Nipsey’s “Grindin’ All My Life,” and in his second fight, he comes out to “Last Time That I Checc’d.”
Jonathan Majors has only starred in 13 feature films and a handful of television roles. He hasn’t really been in the mainstream for acting but for a few years. Nevertheless, with every outing, he proves that he’s a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.
The up and coming actor is in the midst of what might be one of the most successful runs in recent memory. Beginning with his surprise appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television show Loki, the actor has been in six major projects in about a year and a half.
If there was any doubt as to whether or not the sheer volume would cause Jonathan Majors’ performances to suffer, that should be put to rest. He’s been working incredibly hard, but all his performances are incredible.
The actor hasn’t been around long, but he’s already made a huge imprint on cinema. His future is painfully bright and he reminds people every single time he’s on screen: this is someone to watch.
Jonathan Majors’ performances: Marvel hit a home run
Majors was a relative unknown to mainstream audiences when he appeared in the Loki finale. He stepped into the role and delivered an exceptional performance. Alongside one of the most popular Marvel characters in Loki, He Who Remains stood out.
His dialogue, mannerisms and facial expressions captured audiences and didn’t let them go. Most fans of the show and the franchise were upset that Marvel didn’t reveal Majors to them until the final episode.
Fortunately, the actor is about to be the MCU’s next big bad. He’s replacing Thanos and he might end up appearing more often than the Mad Titan did. He then appeared in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and is set to appear in Loki, Season 2 and be the major villain in Avengers: Kang Dynasty in 2025.
Critics and audiences alike aren’t sure on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Most critics disliked the movie and while a lot of the audience enjoyed it, no one was particularly thrilled with it.
One thing everyone can agree on was that Majors‘ performance was incredible. For critics, that’s largely the only positive to take away from the movie. The plot was muddled, the dialogue was rough and the editing and pacing were frustrating at times.
Still, Majors shone throughout and gave audiences a reason to see what was otherwise a disappointing entry in the largest franchise of all time.
He was menacing and commanded attention every time he was on screen. The writing and dialogue was questionable, but Majors made everything work. Every line he delivered was perfectly, which can’t be said of veteran actors Paul Rudd, Michelle Pfeiffer or Michael Douglas.
JonathanMajors is a powerhouse performer
By the time he appeared again as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he had been in several other projects. He appeared in the Netflix Original The Harder They Fall, which was critically loved.
There, Majors played an outlaw in the old West who wanted to track down and take revenge on an older outlaw for killing his father. It was a different project for Majors, but a powerhouse performance nonetheless.
The film was filled with iconic actors, such as:
Idris Elba
Zazie Beets
Lakeith Stanfield
Damon Wayans
Danielle Deadwyler
Regina King
Delroy Lindo
Yet, it was Majors and his incredible performance that rose above the rest.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco: A forgotten gem of a performance
Long before he was in the MCU or playing the outlaw Nat Love, Majors breakout role arguably came in The Last Black Man in San Francisco. This was not a movie a ton of people saw when it came out as it settled into a more niche audience.
That’s a shame, because it could be the best Jonathan Majors’ acting performance of his young career. In it, he plays a devoted friend trying to balance the line between his friend’s hopes and dreams and the reality of their situation.
Looking back at the 2019 film, it’s easy to see why everyone wants to get their hands on the actor now. It was obvious then that he was a force to be reckoned with on the screen. He displayed all the emotions and the struggle his character was experiencing with pristine accuracy.
To some people, that story and the characters in it aren’t entirely relatable. There aren’t too many people who have experienced losing their childhood home to gentrification, but Majors and company made the story feel like anyone could step into it.
JonathanMajors’ most recent outing might be his best
If the MCU wasn’t enough, Jonathan Majors recently stepped into the iconic Rocky franchise and provided it with easily its best antagonist. The Rocky and Creed enemies are usually one-dimensional and fairly static.
Not Majors’ Damian Anderson. Creed III works for a lot of reasons, but Majors’ pitch-perfect performance is a big reason why. There’s a palpable and understandable rage behind Anderson, but there’s also a patient cleverness to his character.
One could argue that it’s his best performance to date. It’s also most the interesting. It’s the most layered character he’s played and the most understandable, all while being a villain.
Throughout his career, he’s already played a lot of different characters. Each one of them has been so different, yet they’re all incredible performances. Since he’s just 33, audiences everywhere should expect a long and fruitful career full of awards.
Ask ten people who the best rapper of all time is and it’s possible you’ll get ten different opinions. It’s a question that’s been pondered and debated for decades, and one that has only subjective answers. Still, Jonathan Majors couldn’t help but be taken aback by Creed III co-star Michael B. Jordan’s take on the conversation.
On a new episode of Complex’s “GOAT Talk” series, the question of who the best rapper ever is came up. Both actors hesitated and contemplated the tough question, with Majors saying it’s between Jay-Z and Tupac. Eventually, Jordan worked up the courage to declare, “Drake, fight me.”
Majors was shocked, as he burst out into boisterous laughter after responding, “You said Drake?!” Jordan continued, “Jay-Z, Drake? Yeah, it’s tough! It’s tough!” After some more discussion (in which Majors made Jay-Z his final pick), Jordan elaborated, “This is what it is: to have an artist, rapper to rap about things I’ve been through, situations that I can relate to the most… literally, like it literally, [I listen to his music and I think], ‘Oh, I’ve been through that. Oh, I’ve thought that.’ So how it relates consistently, I gotta go there.”
The conversation wrapped up with Majors concluding that he picks Jay-Z for similar reasons.
Jonathan Majors is undoubtedly turning into one of the biggest stars of the year, in part to his excellent performance as Dame in Creed III. The latest film in the Rocky franchise emerged on Friday to critical and commercial praise. The film reached $100M at the box office in its opening weekend while many have applauded it as one of the best films in the Creed series. Needless to say, the all-star cast and Michael B. Jordan’s excellent directorial debut didn’t disappoint fans who waited years for the follow-up to Creed II.
Majors’s character, Golden Gloves champ Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson, is a childhood friend of Adonis who ends up serving 20 years in prison for a gun charge (largely due to Donnie’s attack on a man named Leon and subsequently running away). After Dame comes home, he gets Adonis’ help to return to the boxing ring. Majors’ portrayal of Dame proved why he’s a generational talent but apparently, he wouldn’t have been able to get into that space without Nipsey Hussle.
Nipsey Hussle’s Influence On Jonathan Majors
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 23: Nipsey Hussle performs onstage at the STAPLES Center Concert Sponsored by SPRITE during the 2018 BET Experience on June 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ser Baffo/Getty Images for BET)
Throughout the movie, Dame uses Nipsey Hussle’s music to enter the ring, largely songs off of Victory Lap. During an interview with Looper, Jonathan Majors explained that Nipsey’s music helped him tap into Dame’s mind. “I listened to a lot of Tupac, Nipsey Hussle,” he said. “All of Nipsey’s stuff was really helpful. They’re from the same area, Dame and him, so that’s cool.” Additionally, Majors said Nip helped him with dialect work. “The things he’s talking about are things that resonate with the world that Dame comes from, so that was very helpful,” he said.
Nipsey’s influence evidently seeped through Dame’s character and into the movie as a whole. He explained that Nip also made music that touched on a range of emotions. “There’s other songs that come from your subconscious that touch you in a way that can align you,” he said. “You write that song next to the top of the page or whatever, and there’s playlist upon playlist upon playlist,” he added, explaining that he would note what songs would work in specific scenes.
It’s official: Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut is a megahit. The acclaimed actor has been assisting in crafting the Creedverse for nearly a decade, and for the third installment, he went all out. Not only did he star in the film, but he helmed the director’s chair, which proved successful. This, of course, was also aided by costars like Tessa Thompson and Jonathan Majors, and their press runs have been filled with laughs and revelations.
Most recently, Jordan and Majors sat down with Complex, where they named their GOATs. From athletes to food to entertainers to—of course—rappers, the Creed III stars get real about their favorites. At one point, Majors also asked Jordan to choose between Jay-Z and Tupac Shakur. It was a decision that he struggled with. “Listen, y’all,” Jordan joked. “This ain’t cool.”
Michael B. Jordan Makes His Choices
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 27: Jonathan Majors and Michael B. Jordan attend the Los Angeles Premiere Of “CREED III” at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 27, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
Majors chimed in to agree that this would be a difficult choice. Jordan further added, “They’re right there,” as he made hand motions to suggest it was a close call. Then, Jordan ignored the options at hand and answered, “Drake. Fight me.” Majors was visibly surprised—and confused. “You said Drake?!” Jordan answered, “Fight me!”
Jonathan Majors laughed at his friend and asked, “What happened to Pac?” It was a question that Jordan skipped over. “Man, consistently, for how long across genres,” Jordan seemed to say, referencing Drizzy. Jonathan still was baffled and added that Tupac’s life was cut short. This fact is why Jordan said he placed the late icon in the “untouchable” category. “Great. This is not untouchable talk,” Majors replied. “This is GOAT talk.”
Additionally, Majors chose Jay-Z as his GOAT before Jordan explained why Hov didn’t take the title. According to him, Drake pens rhymes that speak directly to things he’s experienced “consistently.” It also helps that the pair are also friends and have been spotted partying together or sitting courtside at sports events. These GOAT talks also spark a discussion, and it’s clear that this is the catalyst for the next viral conversation. Swipe above to get a better context of the discussion.
Jonathan Majors got emotional during an interview on TheTamron Hall Show when his former drama instructor at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts made a surprise appearance. Ashley Gates Jansen, who taught Majors during his freshman year, heaped praise onto the rising star. In particular, she praised the actor for his “passion” and “devotion.”
“Jonathan is a warrior, and he is a poet,” she said. “I am so proud of you. It is such a dream for me, a dream come true, watching your dreams come true.” From there, Majors began tearing up “I love you. I’m happy to see you.”
The Cast Of “Creed III”
(L-R) Actor Jonathan Majors, actress Tessa Thompson, and actor-director-producer Michael B. Jordan arrive for the Los Angeles premiere of Creed III at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California, on February 27, 2023. (Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
The interview comes after the release of Majors’ newest box office hit, Creed III. In the film, he plays Damian, a childhood friend of Michael B. Jordan’s titular character and a former boxing prodigy in his own right. Majors reflected on the journey he’s been on to get to this point during a conversation with IndieWire’sScreen Talk podcast, last week. “I invested in these things,” he shared. “The artists and filmmakers that made these movies invested years, sometimes, into the two hours and 15 minutes that you see—I’m not saying be nice. I’m just saying understand that it’s a real transaction that’s happening when you put pen to paper.”
Over the weekend, Creed III brought in over $100 million at the global box office, making for the most successful opening for a sports film ever. The film is Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut as well as the first film in the franchise that doesn’t star Sylvester Stallone. The legendary Rocky actor is still credited as a producer on the project as is the first film’s director, Ryan Coogler. It also stars Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, and more. The film was boosted by a soundtrack from Dreamville. In addition to Creed III, Majors also recently starred in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
It’s this Creed III quote that resonates with audiences after the film has ended. The quote is a bit of a throwaway line for antagonist Damian Anderson, but it holds a special meaning to those who worked on the film.
Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with Creed III. He joins a long list of actor-directors while trying to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with behind and not just in front of the camera (spoilers for the Rocky and Creed franchise ahead).
Anderson spent time locked away in prison after trying to help Adonis Creed. The former pulled out a gun on someone when the latter started a fight with them. Now that he’s free, he’s eager to prove that he is the champion he was on track to be.
That’s when he drops the line to Creed. He wants to be the champ, and even if he’s got a late start, it’s better than no start. That clearly refers to Anderson’s fictional situation, but also mirrors Jordan’s own real-life situation.
Jordan’s directing was a long time coming
Jordan joined the Creed franchise as an actor in 2015 with Ryan Coogler’s Rocky soft reboot. Eight years later, Jordan is in the director’s chair for Creed 3 (Creed III). It’s the first time the Black Panther star has sat in that seat, but it’s hardly noticeable.
The actor’s directorial debut comes 22 years after he debuted as a child actor in Hardball. Nevertheless, Oscar-winning directors gotta start somewhere, right?
The film stars up and coming Jonathan Majors opposite Jordan, as well as Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson and Wood Harris, but it’s Jordan who shines on and off camera.
Creed III sees the newly retired Adonis Creed enjoying his time off. He’s a loving husband to his artist-turned producer wife, Bianca, and a doting father to his deaf daughter, Amara.
He also runs the gym with his former trainer and partner, Little Duke. They work to shape the next generation of boxers and are promoting a fight between their world champion and Viktor Drago, the antagonist from 2018’s Creed 2.
When Anderson returns and tells Creed what he wants, there’s not much opportunity for it. That is, until Drago befalls an injury and the title bout is now missing a contender.
Enter Anderson, whose nickname was “Diamond Dame”, who shows his true colors by boxing as dirty as possible and defeating the world champion, Felix Chavez.
Anderson used a prison-defined body and clever tricks to get the best of Chavez and become the world’s champion, but it’s Creed that he really wants.
The two, who have a lot of anger and guilt over what transpired in the past and their lives after Anderson went into prison, agree to fight it out despite Rocky’s former protege having been retired for three years.
Michael B. Jordan shines as a new director
Michael B. Jordan stepped into the director’s chair with the confidence his character showed in his opening fight against Chavez. Creed was in control the entire time and it showed. Behind the camera, Jordan was in control the entire time.
Jordan’s style and flair bleed into this movie. It’s the most stylish boxing movie perhaps of all time. It’s also easily the most fun film to look at in the Rocky franchise.
Speaking of Rocky Balboa, Jordan took on an unenviable task of crafting the first Rocky film without its first star- the Italian Stallion himself. Stallone stepped away because of grievances with producer Irwin Winkler. That could have left a major hole in the movie.
Jordan ensured that hole was never felt. In fact, he went so far as to make this the only movie since the original that could stand alone. Yes, it flows out of the first two Creed movies and the previous six Rocky films, but it’s as accessible as the original.
The style and flair that Jordan displays in his first ever film are never more present than in the final fight. This is the most personal fight in the entire franchise. It may only rivaled by Rocky’s revenge bout against Ivan Drago for killing Adonis Creed’s father (major spoilers ahead) in Rocky IV.
As a result, Jordan made the unique decision to strip everything away. Boxing has always drawn big crowds, but for Anderson and Creed, it was just the two of them.
Jordan showed that visually by putting them in an almost colorless arena with no fans. There was no noise except for the grunts and hits each boxer landed. It perfectly showcased what this fight meant.
At a certain points, the wall of the ring turned into a prison cage like the one Anderson spent 18 years in. Another turned into the walls of the abusive group home the two spent years in.
Creed III was inspired by anime
Jordan discussed this decision with the New York Times, saying that he felt like the void was a perfect visual storytelling medium.
“Back when we would go through our first choreo, every punch would be a line: ‘What are we saying in this fight?’ That idea always stuck with me, and I just put that on steroids and infused it with anime. There was even a moment where I put subtitles in the void.”
Michael B. Jordan via The New York Times
He ultimately decided against the subtitles bit, feeling that it would be too difficult for the audience.
“Yeah, there was no sound: It was completely silent and just subtitles. I was like, ‘All right, that’s my artistic side coming out too strong! I got to remember what kind of movie I’m making, that invisible contract that I signed with the audience.’ I watched anime all my life, so I could watch and read subtitles at the same time, but a lot of people can’t do that.”
Creed III is not a perfect film. It is arguably the best in the trilogy and could rival the original as someone’s favorite, though. There are a lot of factors to that (such as Jonathan Majors giving yet another unbelievable performance), but Jordan’s leadership guided this film to an excellent place.
Majors imbues his character with a palpable rage. The audience can feel the anger at being locked up for trying to save Creed while Creed ran and escaped any punishment.
For his credit, this is probably Jordan’s best outing as Adonis Creed. The audience feels his emotions with him. The guilt he carries over what happened with Anderson comes right through the screen.
The two give performances as strong as their in-universe characters are. That, combined with excellent directing, makes for what will undoubtedly hold up as one of 2023’s best releases. That’s high praise for a movie released with almost nine full months remaining in the calendar year.
Given that this movie isn’t Oscar-bait in any way, it would be a surprise to see a Best Supporting Actor nomination thrown to Majors or a Best Director nomination for Jordan. However, they’re both worthy of unending praise.
Some actors that move into directing don’t do much. They might direct a film or two, but most remain actors. Jordan mentioned to the New York Times that he had projects in the pipeline (that he wanted Majors to join him in), so he’s absolutely going to be a director to watch in the future.
Unfortunately, he set the bar so high with Creed III. It’s hard to envision him topping it. He probably welcomes the challenge, and the audience is absolutely looking forward to it.
Two of the biggest names in Hollywood at the moment are Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors, mostly due to the arrival of their highly anticipated movie, Creed III. The former is both directing and starring in the film alongside his friend, meaning they’ve been spending plenty of time on the press circuit together. Unfortunately for both actors, they’ve been facing unflattering comments about them in the news, specifically about being “corny.”
During the red carpet premiere of his directorial debut, Jordan took a moment to chat with Lore’l from The Morning Hustle. The pair formerly went to middle school together, and during a past episode, the media personality and her co-host discussed this point in her life. At the time, a quip was made about the Black Panther star being “corny,” which he obviously took to heart as he brought them up to Lore’l during their interview.
Creed is Here
She’s since confirmed that she wasn’t the one to describe the California native using that phrase. She also compared him publicly (and incorrectly) calling her out to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. Jordan on the other hand seems to have happily moved on with his life, sitting down for much more pleasant conversations with Majors and other journalists.
While chatting with Pay Or Wait personality, Sharronda Williams, the costars candidly spoke about their excitement surrounding Creed III. Movie lovers were happy to hear more about the film, but some super sleuths couldn’t help but notice that the cameras obviously caught both Jordan and Majors checking out the interviewer’s behind as she walked away from their chairs. In the hours since, the clip has been going viral, earning hundreds of hilarious reactions online.
Twitter Reacts to Jordan and Majors’ Wandering Eyes
Jonathan Majors and Michael B. Jordan attend the Los Angeles premiere of Sony Pictures’ “Devotion” at Regency Village Theatre on November 15, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
“At least Michael B. Jordan attempted to be subtle. Jonathan turned his whole damn head!” one user joked, calling out the 33-year-old for nearly breaking his neck over Williams. “They Beating The White Women Allegations,” someone else wrote, referring to past speculation about Jordan’s preference for fair-skinned women. Keep scrolling to laugh out loud over Twitter’s reactions, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.
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