Michael B. Jordan Wins Best Actor Oscar for ‘Sinners’

The "Sinners" star won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as both SmokeStack Twins in his fifth film directed by Ryan Coogler.

It’s official, Michael B. Jordan has won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as The SmokeStack Twins in the 2025 box office phenomenon “Sinners.”

The award comes after a rollercoaster of an awards race for his category specifically, with “Marty Supreme” star Timothée Chalamet having been long expected to win based off it being his second Oscar nomination in a row, and the fact that he had received awards from critics groups like the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards.

Where things had begun to take a turn was at the BAFTA Awards, where the Oscars-ineligible “I Swear” star Robert Aramayo won Best Actor. Shortly afterwards, Jordan was the one who was triumphant at the Actor Awards, winning both Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for “Sinners,” right in the middle of Oscar voting, signaling a vibe shift.

Speaking to IndieWire in December, Jordan said that what stood out for him about his performance in “Sinners,” besides the fact that he was playing two different people, is that the twins represented how the former child star has fully grown up as an actor. “A lot of my earlier characters, they’re going through these boy-to-man phases. These brothers are who they are from start to finish.”

“Sinners” also marked Jordan’s fifth time being directed by filmmaker Ryan Coogler. When asked why he thinks their fruitful creative partnership finally being recognized by awards bodies, the actor said “We’ve become something people can count on. I think we’ve delivered consistently. Haven’t missed. And that is something now you can’t deny.” He added, “[‘Sinners’] came out super early, so the fact that we’re still in conversation, having these conversations come December, is a testament to that. Letting the work speak for itself.”

During his acceptance speech, Jordan thanked his family, including his father who flew in from Ghana for the event and his mother who was sitting next to him when he won, before turning his attention to his collaborators.

“I want to thank Warner Bros., I want to thank Mike [de Luca] and Pam [Abdy] for believing in this dream, this vision of Ryan Coogler. And betting on a culture, betting on original ideas and artistry,” he said before addressing Coogler directly. “You’re an amazing person, I’m glad to call you a collaborator and a friend. You gave me the space to be seen.”

Coogler silently gestured “I love you” from his seat, to which Jordan responded “I love you too, bro. I love you to death.” 

In addition to Chalamet, Jordan’s fellow Best Actor nominees were “One Battle After Another” star Leonard DiCaprio, “Blue Moon” star Ethan Hawke, and “The Secret Agent” star Wagner Moura.

Speaking after his win backstage to press, Jordan thanked the Black Oscar winners that have come before him like Denzel Washington, Sidney Poitier, Halle Berry, and Forest Whitaker. He talked about the competitiveness that you can get in a moment like this, but “what’s for you is for you, and you can’t take anybody else’s blessings away from anyone else.” But he also gave advice for the next generation, saying that he always tries to lead by example.

“Dream big, man. And be kind, bro. Be honest,” he said.

The 98th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 15, with Conan O’Brien returning as host. The ceremony was broadcast live on ABC starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Check out the full list of winners right here.

Additional reporting by Brian Welk