INTERVIEW: Michael B. Jordan On His Action-Packed New Film ‘Without Remorse,’ His Process, Vision, and What’s Next

Michael B. Jordan is the action hero we all need right now as he stars as John Clark in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video which premiered on April 30. Jordan stars opposite Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, and Lauren London in the origin story of John Clark from Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan universe.

John Clark, an elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy as Russian soldiers kill his team and pregnant wife in retaliation for his role in a top-secret operation. Sr. Chief John Kelly is on a mission to avenge and seek justice for the murder of his pregnant wife Pam, played by London and he finds himself in the middle of unknowingly spoiling a plot that would have the US and Russia at war.

Michael keeps proving that he is ‘Hollywood’s It Man,’ as he performs his own stunts, sometimes underwater, to deliver the edge of your seat action that will have this film on repeat. This also isn’t your typical action film, as director Stefano Sollima brings not just extreme stunts and suspense, but also pulls human and emotional qualities from the actors, telling a 360-degree story of love, loyalty, rage, betrayal, ethics, and survival.

Jordan needs no introduction as he starred in the 2018 box office smash Black Panther, but he’s also best known for The Wire, Friday Night Lights, Creed, and his first major leading film role when he starred as Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station.

We spoke with Michael about Without Remorse, how he prepared for the role, the challenges of doing his own stunts, a closer look at John Kelly’s transformation into John Clark, and how he continues to change the industry for the better. Check out our full conversation below and on Glitter Magazine’s YouTube.

GLITTER: You’ve mentioned in the past that you were looking to play characters, and not just black characters. How has your vision come full circle in your career and your role as John Kelly?  
MICHAEL: I guess in time like normalizing just playing characters that just are, and it’s not made a story point about the color of their skin all the time. Taking roles like this; that it’s not mentioned in the project. We get a chance to experience John throughout all the challenges, his ups and downs, and go on this cinematic journey with him through the end of the movie. So it’s been working, I guess. (laughing)
GLITTER: Yes, it has. (laughing) 

GLITTER: Your action scenes were just incredible in this film, including the underwater scenes and the prison cell scene. How did you physically prepare for this film, and is it true that you did most of your own stunts? 
MICHAEL:  I was blessed enough to be able to train and get to a point where the stunt crew and the rest of the producers felt comfortable with me doing my stunts. I had an incredible stunt double who made sure everything was safe and vetted, and we worked through relentlessly. Training on this one was a little bit of the same, just being dedicated to changing my diet. I did a lot of underwater work with this one with military divers and really worked on training my breath and my breathing, tactical training and weapons training. Pretty much every stunt that I went through, we specifically spent time on training for that actual action sequence.

GLITTER: The film shows the depths of John’s emotional journey from betrayal, loss, and doubt, to regret. How important was it to the film to include so many emotional scenes in telling John’s complete story?  
MICHAEL: I think it was crucial to understanding what he was going through, so you understand how far he was willing to go. You know, I think it was important to show that so his journey becomes clear, and I think he had enough tragedy and things that happened to him that would justify the extent that he was willing to go to get answers. 

GLITTER: From Creed to Black Panther, and now Without Remorse, you go beyond just acting, and you completely embody your characters; how do you get into your character’s head each time?
MICHAEL: I think, writing a back story always helps, like a journal that kind of logs your earliest memory into the first page of the script. It’s something that gets really specific for you, so you could know where you’re at now, where your mindstate is, know where you’re coming from, so you know where you’re going. I feel fortunate to be in situations where I produce and develop things from the ground up, so the time you spend developing these characters scene by scene over, of course, a couple of years, you really have a better understanding of the character as you’re walking into it. 

GLITTER: You’re paying it forward in so many ways in your work with Outlier Society, and you’re paving the way for generations to come after you, and you resonate kindness in all that we’ve seen in your past interviews and your public appearances. How are you hoping to continue to make an impact on the world personally?  
MICHAEL: I think what I’m doing now, producing and telling stories, trying to create opportunities for others, charity, starting up programs. I think a lot of it is yet to be seen, so I think in the future, as things progress, as I move forward, I’ll be looking for opportunities to continue to just do good. I think your legacy is defined by who you help and who you put on. Send that karma and that energy into the world, and it will come back to you.

GLITTER: Can you tease anything about what’s next for you, including Rainbow Six? 
MICHAEL: I’m getting ready to start to prep Creed 3. I’m directing a stunt in that one. So that’s something, that’s the next project I’m doing. Then, hopefully, there would be a Rainbow Six conversation, but we haven’t really gotten to that part yet also.

GLITTER: Michael, thank you so much, and looking forward to seeing what’s next for you and possibly talking again soon.
MICHAEL:  I appreciate it. Thanks for your time.