Michael B. Jordan, who won raves in 2018 for his work as a supporting actor in Ryan Coogler‘s Black Panther and the lead actor in Steven Caple Jr.‘s Creed 2 (and a Critics’ Choice nom for the former on Monday), will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award at the 2019 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the fest announced this week.
The 31-year-old, whose prior credits include Coogler’s Fruitvale Station (2013) and Creed (2015) as well as the game-changing TV series The Wire (2002) and Friday Night Lights (2009-11), will be honored Feb. 7 at Santa Barbara’s historic Arlington Theatre as part of the festival’s 34th edition, which will run Jan. 30-Feb. 9.
SBIFF’s Cinema Vanguard Award recognizes actors who have forged their own path, taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film. Previous recipients include Willem Dafoe, Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Rooney Mara, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amy Adams, Jean Dujardin, Bernice Bejo, Nicole Kidman, Peter Sarsgaard, Christoph Waltz, Vera Farmiga, Kristin Scott Thomas, Stanley Tucci and Ryan Gosling.
Said SBIFF executive director Roger Durling in a statement: “It’s thrilling to honor Michael B. Jordan this year for the emboldened way he’s shown us what it means to be a movie star for the 21st century, mixing sensitivity with swagger, choosing important material that remains full of integrity yet becomes world phenomenon, and forging a cinematic partnership with visionary director Ryan Coogler.”
