Michael B. Jordan Admits Playing Killmonger in ‘Black Panther’ Was So Intense He Needed Therapy

Michael B. Jordan has opened up about how playing Erik Killmonger in Black Panther had a deep effect on him, so much so that he sought therapy after filming. In a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the actor explained that the role stayed with him longer than expected.

“It kind of stuck with me for a bit. I went to therapy, talked about it, found a way to kind of just decompress,” Jordan said. He added that the experience helped him learn how important it is to separate himself from intense characters. “I was still learning that I needed to decompress from a character,” he explained.

Killmonger, the antagonist in the 2018 Marvel hit, is a character shaped by trauma, betrayal, and abandonment. Jordan said, “He had a lot of betrayal, a lot of failed systems around him that shaped him and his anger and his frustration.”

To better portray Killmonger, Jordan even isolated himself from his family for a while. “I didn’t really speak to my family that much. I was kind of isolated a bit… tried to live like he would have lived for a bit,” he said.

The character, a former Navy SEAL, seeks revenge for his father’s death and challenges T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, for the throne of Wakanda. His backstory reveals his father was executed by King T’Chaka after smuggling vibranium.

Jordan said therapy became more than just recovery, it turned into a journey of self-discovery. “Talking is really important… It definitely helped me throughout the years and to this day of trying to be a good communicator and a well-rounded person, inside and out,” he said. He added, “That’s something I’m not ashamed of at all and very proud of.”

The actor also described acting as a solo journey that requires self-reflection. He emphasized that therapy is “necessary… especially for men,” and explained why he was drawn to Killmonger’s complexity. “You can blur those lines and be a little less on-point, morally,” he noted.

Playing Killmonger clearly left a lasting mark on Jordan, both professionally and personally. It shows the toll that intense roles can have on actors, and how important it is to take care of mental health after such work.

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