New Jersey is celebrating after Newark native Michael B. Jordan won the Academy Award for Best Actor Sunday night, taking home Hollywood’s biggest prize for his performance in Sinners. For many in Newark, the win feels like a hometown victory.
It’s Jordan’s first Oscar win, crowning a 25-year career that began in the halls of Newark Arts High School.
Jordan won the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 98th Academy Awards for his impactful performance—where he played identical twins—in the supernatural horror film, beating out a field that included Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) and Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another).
From the Oscar stage, Jordan made sure to acknowledge his beginnings. He thanked director Ryan Coogler, who has collaborated with him on multiple films, including Black Panther and Creed, calling him “an amazing person” who “gave me the opportunity and space to be seen.”
But his most poignant moment came when he honored the Black actors who paved the way before him, naming greats of the industry like Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, and Forest Whitaker.
“I stand here because of the people who came before me,” Jordan said. “To be amongst those giants, amongst those greats, amongst my ancestors, amongst my guys, thank you, everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting me over my career. I feel it.”
Jordan becomes just the sixth Black actor in Academy Awards history to win Best Actor.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka released a statement celebrating Jordan as “one of our very own,” noting that his journey from Newark Arts High School to the globe’s biggest stage serves as inspiration for Newark’s youth. “What makes us even more proud is that he has never forgotten where he came from, often returning home to give back to the community that helped shape him.”
The Values That Shaped Him
Jordan grew up in Newark after his family relocated from Santa Ana, California. He attended Newark Arts High School, where his mother worked as a teacher.
Those formative years left an indelible impact on his life—one that he has never shied away from. Backstage at the Oscars, when asked about his success, Jordan credited the principles instilled in him during his Newark upbringing.
“Dream big, man, and be kind and be honest. That’s how I try to live,” he said.
That ethos has defined his career. His breakthrough role came in Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station, a film about a real-life man killed by police. Jordan’s critically acclaimed performance helped launch his career.
New Jerseyans might also remember his brief appearance in The Sopranos where he appears in a scene flashing back to Tony Soprano’s childhood. A young Jordan yells “Hey! What you doing?” at a young Tony after he litters a wrapper on the sidewalk.
A Newark Success Story
At 39 years old, Jordan has built a career that extends beyond acting. He produces, directs, and mentors the next generation of artists. At the Oscars, he emphasized this commitment: “I’m really big on the next generation, so try to be an example. I’m not a big talker, I’m about action. I like to lead by example.”
His family was there to witness the moment. Jordan thanked his mother, sitting front-row. He also recognized his father, who flew in from Ghana to attend the Awards.
Michael B. Jordan is now an Academy Award winner, notching a major accomplishment in an impressive career. One that began right here in Newark, New Jersey.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.