Michael Jordan shut down 1 prominent actor’s request to make movie about him

Dec 21, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan unveils the new Charlotte Hornets logo at halftime during the game against the Utah Jazz at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

For better or for worse, Michael Jordan has always done his own acting (see: “Space Jam,” his Nike ads with Mars Blackmon, etc.). That apparently still has not changed despite the best efforts of one award-wining actor.

Appearing this week on an episode of Complex’s “Sneaker Shopping,” actor Idris Elba revealed that he once approached Jordan about potentially portraying His Airness in a movie, only to be turned down.

“I even said to [Jordan] one time, ‘I want to play you,'” said Elba. “He was like, ‘Hmmm, I’m not ready yet.’ That’s what he said. ‘I’m not ready yet.’ I was dead serious.

“In my head, playing Jordan wouldn’t be about the basketball player,” Elba added. “It was about the businessman. He is a very astute businessman, really smart … So that’s where I was hinting at. I was like, ‘I wanna play Jordan. I’m doing that.’ He was like, ‘Ah, I’m not ready for that story yet.'”

Elba would not be a bad choice to play Jordan. He has won multiple awards during his acting career (including Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards) and is not too far behind Jordan in age (49 to Jordan’s 59).

But we know that Jordan loves to control his own narrative and already had a 2020 documentary series where he was able to do just that in ESPN’s “The Last Dance.” Thus, Jordan seems to be focused on other ventures right now (such as this possible power move for his Charlotte Hornets) instead of on a potential film collaboration in whch Elba would portray him.