Some actors love to use a method that keeps them anchored in a character. For writer/director Ryan Coogler’s 2025 movie schedule hit Sinners, Michael B. Jordan certainly took that strategy to heart; and doubly so through his twin characters. In the case of setting the energy level for Smoke and Stack, there was one surprisingly simple strategy that the Creed star employed that helped make the job a lot easier – but potentially more painful.
As Jordan sat down with Vulture to discuss Warner Bros’ breakout 2025 hit, he talked about how he viewed the different natures of the twin brothers he played. The star emphasized that the energy was very important, and this is how Jordan set the boundaries between the brothers:
[Smoke] doesn’t move around too much … whose pain was right here. He had a hole in his chest. He was the old man. He was tired of keeping up with Stack. [For Stack] I wore tight shoes. I wanted them to walk different; I wanted their body language to be different.
While part of me really hopes that Michael B. Jordan had some more comfortable dancing shoes to change into for Sinners’ juke joint storyline, I could see him still rejecting that option. Stack’s hustle was probably at its strongest on that night in 1932, so those shoes may have become even more important as the story progressed – and for more than just continuity reasons.
And, for that reason, I think people will eventually be using their HBO Max subscription to look a little closer at each moment Stack appears on screen. While we’re digging in a little deeper into this detail, I have to admit that this strategy connects to the respective fates of Smoke and Stack rather well. So, if you don’t want spoilers for Sinners, the rest of this story is pretty much off limits.
Smoke’s “hole in his chest” is clearly the loss of the child that he and Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) lost in its infancy. So watching him transition to the great hereafter, where his beloved family is waiting for him, locks right in with description of his energy level. Meanwhile Sinners’ epilogue showing Stack alive and thriving as a vampire in the ‘90s matches that restless energy.
The more enterprising brother who wanted the world and more got his wish, still flashing his smile and parading in flashy clothes in the early days of popular rap culture. But, at the same time, you can feel some of Smoke rubbing off on him, as well as an older Sammy (Buddy Guy), as they both share a moment of weariness when reflecting on that night in 1932.
Maybe my take is wrong in some way, shape, or form. I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one Sinners fan came forward to counter, as there’s been a ton of discourse surrounding how Ryan Coogler’s film should be read. So if you want to dive into some further examination of Michael B. Jordan’s methods and commitment yourself, feel free to rent this 2025 blockbuster on PVOD, or head to a theater near you that might still have a showing or two.
