Tessa Thompson revealed in a recent interview that she and frequent collaborator and pal Michael B. Jordan didn’t just rehearse scenes while prepping for Creed III. Wildly, the two leads actually went to couples therapy together, fully in character as Bianca and Adonis.
Thompson shared the story during an appearance on Sherri, hosted by Sherri Shepherd, and posted as a clip to YouTube. The Passing star offered a surprisingly thoughtful look at what it means to work closely with someone for more than a decade. According to her, by the time they were making the most recent Creed film, she and Jordan felt less like co-stars and more like family. Or, as she put it:
We’ve been making these films over 10 years together, so at this point, we’re kind of like family and and we are like an old married couple. We know each other so well. And in fact, when we went to make the last Creed, we actually went to therapy together, but as Bianca and Adonis.
According to the Westworld series veteran (streaming with an HBO Max subscription), the therapy sessions weren’t about creating or diffusing conflict. Instead, the actors hoped to understand conflict and what makes it rise in a long-term relationship. By the third entry in the Creed franchise, Bianca and Adonis weren’t a new couple. They’re older, more settled, dealing with careers, parenthood, and the quiet pressures that creep into long-term relationships. Going to therapy gave Thompson and Jordan a structured way to talk through those dynamics that felt grounded.
What made the experience even stranger, and more revealing, was how quickly it stopped being purely about the characters. Thompson admitted that while the sessions were technically “in character,” they inevitably began reflecting on their own lives as well. She continued:
First of all, I learned that people need to go to couples therapy. I should have done it in some of my past relationships. Maybe then I would be married. So I learned that, and then he’s such a delight and such a lovely person. But I think what we learned is that when you’re in a long-term relationship — not even married, just friendship, and with our families — it’s so great to get in there and talk about any of the issues that maybe you just don’t have the chance to, you know, in your day-to-day.
Thompson revealed that the process reminded her that therapy doesn’t have to be a last resort or something reserved for relationships in crisis. Even when things are going well, having a space to sharpen communication and better understand how another person operates can be helpful. Not just romantically, but across friendships, family relationships, and creative partnerships.
The honest and vocal Thor: Ragnarok castmate also made a point of praising Jordan as a collaborator, describing him as a delight to work with and an incredibly kind presence, which helps explain why the experiment worked at all. Therapy, even in character, requires trust. And that trust doesn’t happen unless both people are willing to be open and listen.
More than anything, Tessa Thompson framed the experience as a reminder about communication. Having a structured space to talk through conflict, even under the guise of playing characters, proved invaluable. It allowed the two A-listers to address issues and dynamics that don’t always surface naturally in day-to-day life. Which, if you ask me, can only strengthen their performances and their working relationship.
The entire Creed trilogy, some of the best boxing movies ever made, is available to rent through an Amazon Prime Video subscription.
