Viola Davis on playing Michael Jordan’s mother on Air

March 26, 2023

The “Air” star also talked about the respect he felt for Deloris Jordan while working on the film: “She’s extraordinary, she really is.”

“Air” doesn’t hit theaters until next week, but it already seems like movie fans are talking about it forever. Ben Affleck’s sports drama about Nike chasing Michael Jordan is already one of the buzziest movies of the spring, thanks to strong early reviews and some viral anecdotes about the making of the film. Much has been made of Affleck’s story of visiting Michael Jordan to discuss the script, where the basketball legend essentially demanded that Affleck cast Viola Davis as his mother, Deloris Jordan.

“At this point, the mother character has a line in the movie — and I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, she wants me to offer this to Viola Davis. How do I offer Viola Davis a movie with a line? That’s not going to happen,” Affleck said recently The Hollywood Reporter. “But he said, ‘She’s my mother.’ He was dead serious. “Viola Davis, she’s my mother.” And that was it. The discussion is over. However it happened, it wasn’t his problem, but it was going to damn well happen. And I said, “Okay, Mike.”

The story is a testament to Davis’ pedigree as an actress (and, frankly, Jordan’s good taste in movies). However, many fans began to wonder how Davis reacted to being asked by arguably the greatest athlete of all time to play his mother. In a recent interview Fun tonightDavis recalled the surreal experience that led to her casting.

“You know, at first you’re flattered, then the next second it’s pressure,” Davis said. – (Pressure) to play the woman who is basically the director of this great athlete, you know?

After the initial shock wore off, Davis said her admiration for Jordan’s mother only grew as she dug into the role.

“She was obviously so influential and I watch videos of her afterward and if you’ve ever seen videos of Deloris Jordan, she’s extraordinary, she really is,” Davis said. “Because he’s one of those, you know, he’s one of those people where you say, ‘Where did this talent come from? Where did this vision come from?”

“Air” opens in theaters on Wednesday, April 5.

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