When Ben Affleck brought the story of the Air Jordan deal to the big screen in 2023, one notable choice stood out. Michael Jordan himself was never fully portrayed by an actor.
Affleck, who directed the biographical film about Nike’s legendary partnership with Jordan, explained that casting someone to play MJ would never do justice to his iconic presence. Instead, the film focused on his family and the behind-the-scenes figures who shaped the sneaker empire.
Ben Affleck shares why he did not cast a Michael Jordan actor in Air
On a recent episode of the All the Smoke podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Ben Affleck opened up about how he handled Michael Jordan’s story. He shared that he personally reached out to MJ before production, sharing his plans. “I knew him well enough to just call and say, Hey, I got this script… I’m not gonna do anything you’re not cool with.” Affleck wanted to make sure Jordan felt respected and in control of how his story was told.
When it came to portraying Michael Jordan himself, the filmmaker decided not to cast anyone. “You’re such an icon, as soon as I show somebody and try to be like, ‘That’s Michael Jordan,’ you’re just gonna be like, ‘No, it isn’t.’ You can’t show a silhouette, you’re like, no, it’s not him,” Afleck recalled saying this to Jordan.
Thus, the film kept Jordan’s presence subtle, offering brief glimpses that reminded fans of him without risking misrepresentation. This way, the story stays focused on his family and the Nike execs who helped turn Air Jordans into a legend.
Jordan also had a crystal-clear vision for his family on screen. He insisted that Viola Davis play his mom, Deloris Jordan, and Affleck agreed. Having worked with Davis before, he knew she could do justice to the role. “Hey Viola, we wrote this for you, and Mike said the only way this works is if you play his mom,” Afleck said to Viola.
