Michael B. Jordan: The Best Advice Sylvester Stallone Gave Me

After wreaking havoc in Wakanda as Black Panthers revenge-seeking Erik Killmonger, Michael B. Jordan returns to the boxing ring in Creed II—the sequel to Ryan Cooglers highly acclaimed 2015 film Creed, which reimagined and extended the Rocky franchise. Now that Jordan has established himself as a bankable leading man, dont expect him to hold back.

“I approach every movie like it could be my last,” said Jordan at the Creed II premiere in New York on Wednesday evening. “I work hard. I put my all in every scene that Im in. Im giving as I can to other actors, and just hope for the best.”

To look the part of a heavyweight champ, the actor bulked up to a lean 191 pounds by doing up to three rigorous, full-body weight-lifting workouts daily, for months. For his boxing scenes, Jordan was even willing to take real hits to his face.

“There are some punches that you cant fake, so I took a few real punches that you will see in the movie,” he said. “I was sore for a couple of days after. It hurt!”

Sylvester Stallone arrived at the premiere with his wife, Jennifer Flavin, and their daughter Sistine by his side. The original Rocky posed for photos with his family and greeted Jordan with a hug, before the two stars cheekily threw shadowboxing punches at each other for the photographers.

“Working with Sly and being around him is really fun, and its not intimidating because he makes you feel comfortable,” said Jordan moments after welcoming Stallone on the arrivals carpet. “Hes super cool and laid-back and an incredible guy. He knows a lot, and shares a lot of his wisdom.”

The best advice he received from Stallone, Jordan said, is to focus on his performance, and not to worry about the pressures of starring in a beloved franchise.

“He said to me, Mike, dont try to copy what I did. You are Creed. You own it. Dont worry about having to live up to any expectations or the legacy of the movies. Put in the hard work, but also have fun,” recalled Jordan. “He gives so much to you. When you are shooting a scene with him, he allows you to respond. He gives you respect. He looks at you as a partner. It was a real collaborative process.”

Out in theaters November 21, Creed II is the eighth installment in the Rocky series. The story finds Adonis Creed (Jordan) training to defeat the son of Dolph Lundgrens iconic character, Ivan Drago—the Soviet heavyweight fighter who killed his father, Apollo Creed, in the ring in 1985s Rocky IV.

“The movie is about family. We get specific about fatherhood, but ultimately its about the importance of family,” said director Steven Caple Jr., who takes over the franchise from Coogler. (He wasnt able to helm the sequel because he was finishing Black Panther at the time.) “For us, it was about taking the story outside the ring and making it more real and relatable. The fact that Creed is now a father, and taking his relationship to a whole new level with Bianca [Tessa Thompson], the stakes are much higher. And then theres so much history between Creed and the other side, with Viktor Drago [Florian Munteanu] and Ivan Drago as his opponents. Theres so much more emotion, and its a little bit more intense than the first movie.”

Lundgren admits he initially had no intention of reprising his cold Rocky IV character 33 years later. He did not want to return to the part, fearing his character would be one-dimensional. But Lundgren changed his mind when he met with Caple and read the films script, written by Stallone and Juel Taylor.

“It was a character study of the man whos been marginalized, has been mistreated and misunderstood, and he has a lot of anger—and hes trying to use his son to come back. So its a very Shakespearean story,” said Lundgren. “Its very emotional, and it was great to come back and play Drago, and to give him a little bit of soul and not be just a killer.”

Milo Ventimiglia also returns to the Rocky universe in Creed II, making a small but important cameo appearance as Rockys estranged son, Robert. The This Is Us star appeared opposite Stallone in 2006s Rocky Balboa, when he was 29 years old. Ventimiglia flew out to Philadelphia from Los Angeles for one day to shoot his scene with Stallone. Caple said there wasnt enough time for a proper costume fitting, so the clothes Ventimiglia wears in the movie were the clothes he showed up in on set.

“In the scene between Milo and Sly, there was some real, raw emotion behind their performances,” said Caple. “Milo hasnt acted with Sly in so long, and to be back together as father and son, it was one of those breaking moments in real life and in the story. They have a special bond with each other, so it was important to have Milo, because it ties back to the theme of family and about reconnecting with the people you love. Sly had put Milo in an early version of the script, and we both felt like he was needed in Creed II. Their scene is one of the most powerful scenes in the entire movie.”

Another cameo that will excite die-hard Rocky fans? Brigitte Nielsen. The statuesque Danish model and actress revisits her cult role as Ludmilla Vobet Drago, the wife of Ivan Drago. Nielsen originally played the cruel and sadistic character in 1985s Rocky IV. It was Caples idea to bring back Nielsen, who Stallone divorced in 1987 after two years of marriage—adding an important element to the story.

“I got the script, and I felt like something was missing. I felt like it needed another turning point,” recalled Caple. “In film school, they teach us to think of something like a rosebud, like what Orson Welles did, and it felt like Russia was our rosebud. So we wrote it as Russia, but it felt so surfaced. Then I thought about Brigitte. She was that missing piece. I went to Sly and asked him, What if we brought her back? He was like, The fans are going to love it! And on the first day on set, there were 2,000 people in the room when we shot the fight scene. The cast was all there, and people went ballistic. I got emotional. I saw Brigitte crying. Dolph got emotional. It was a really great moment. It was a reunion, and a full-circle moment for the cast.”

That body

This is the physique that launched a million workouts, along with Sylvester Stallones career. Rockys chiseled shoulders, pecs, and abs remain a regularly imitated form in pop art.Photo: Courtesy of United Artists

“Yo, Adrian!”

Rocky Balboas iconic bellowing of his loves name left quite the legacy. Our sympathies to the Adrians of the world, who have suffered a lifetime of hearing “Yo, Adrian!” followed by chuckles. One consolation prize: the beautiful end scene, when Rocky and Adrian run to each other after the big fight.Photo: Courtesy of United Artists

The Rocky theme

The classical-sounding horns and low-key disco vibes of Bill Contis “Gonna Fly Now” quickly became the theme song for underdogs everywhere. The tune made it to the top of the charts and racked up an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.Photo: Courtesy of United Artists

Philadelphia

As much as Rocky is about a boxer, it is also a love letter to Philadelphia. Rocky lives near the elevated train line in Philly and goes on runs around some of the citys most famous spots, including Fairmount Park, the Schuylkill River, and the Italian Market.Photo: Courtesy of United Artists

The fight scene

Described by Rockys promoter as “the greatest exhibition of guts and stamina in the history of the ring,” it stands as one of the most intense fight scenes in movie history.Photo: Courtesy of United Artists

Rockys mangled face

Few stars have pulled off the battered, bloody look quite as well as Stallone, especially the swollen eyes and broken nose—a sight we cant unsee.Photo: Courtesy of United Artists

The training montage

Watching Rocky running through the streets of Philly, doing a one-arm push-up, and finishing in a victory fist-pump at the top of the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum: How can one not feel the adrenaline? How can one not feel that anything is possible? Its inspiration, defined.Photo: Courtesy of United ArtistsPreviousNext