LOS ANGELES, United States — Michael B. Jordan won the Best Actor award at the 98th Academy Awards for his performance in the film Sinners, marking the first Oscar of his career and a historic milestone for the Hollywood star.
Jordan, 39, triumphed over a competitive field that included Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, and Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another.
Taking the stage to accept the award at the 98th Academy Awards, Jordan began his speech with a brief expression of gratitude. “God is good,” he told the audience, repeating the phrase as he acknowledged his mother seated in the audience and other family members watching the ceremony.
Jordan also paid tribute to director Ryan Coogler, with whom he has collaborated multiple times throughout his career. The actor described Coogler as both a creative partner and a close friend.
“I’m so honoured to call you a collaborator and a friend, and to give me an opportunity and space for me to be seen,” Jordan said from the stage. “I love you too, bro.”
In Sinners, written and directed by Coogler, Jordan delivers a demanding dual performance as identical twin brothers Elijah “Smoke” Moore and Elias “Stack” Moore. The role required the actor to portray two contrasting characters within the same narrative, a feat that has now made him the first actor to win the Best Actor Oscar for playing twin roles.
Jordan’s win places him among a small but distinguished group of Black actors who have secured the Academy Award for Best Actor. The list includes Forest Whitaker, who won for The Last King of Scotland in 2007, Denzel Washington for Training Day in 2002, and trailblazer Sidney Poitier, who made history with his victory for Lilies of the Field in 1964.
During his acceptance speech, Jordan acknowledged other Black actors who had previously won the category, including Will Smith and Jamie Foxx, crediting their achievements with helping pave the way for future generations in the industry.
“Everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting my career,” Jordan said. “I know you guys want me to do well, and I wanna do that because you guys bet on me. So thank you for keeping on betting on me.”
The Oscar victory capped a strong awards season for the actor. Jordan had previously secured nominations at the BAFTA Film Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Critics’ Choice Awards, before gaining significant momentum with a win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on March 1, just days before final Oscar voting closed.
Many awards observers had predicted that the SAG victory would strengthen Jordan’s standing among Academy voters, and the result ultimately confirmed his late surge in one of the ceremony’s most closely watched races.
Closing his speech, Jordan pledged to continue pushing himself creatively in the years ahead.
“I’ll keep stepping up and keep being the best version of myself I can be,” he told the audience, drawing applause inside the Dolby Theatre and from fans watching worldwide.