‘Let Me Step My Stuff Up’: How Delroy Lindo Inspired Michael B. Jordan To Up His Game On Sinners

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We’ve been incredibly impressed with Delroy Lindo‘s performance as Delta Slim in Sinners, and were thrilled to see him nominated for his first Academy Award – Best Supporting Actor – when the 2026 nominations were announced. To celebrate Lindo’s achievement, don’t miss this story from Michael B. Jordan about their experience working together.

I’m a huge fan of Delroy Lindo – he’s just incredible! He and Spike Lee have made some truly iconic films together, like Malcolm X and Crooklyn. I was really interested to hear what Jordan had to say about working with him, so I wanted to share his experience.

I was really nervous on my first day. I was fully committed, doing a Southern accent, you know? I was in full costume, and it was incredibly hot! Things were going well, but one of the actors, Delroy, wasn’t saying much. It’s always a little uncertain when you start a project – you never know how another actor will approach their role. Will they stay in character the whole time, or will they be relaxed and chatty between takes? I just wasn’t sure what to expect.

Jordan described his first day working on set with Lindo in an interview with BBC Radio 2. He admitted to feeling nervous, particularly about building a good rapport with the actor. Here’s how things unfolded, according to Jordan:

We were driving, and he started talking with his thick Southern accent. He was also fiddling with something in his mouth and kept glancing at me while holding a flask. I started a normal conversation with him, and he responded in a way that made me realize how things were going to go. I knew I needed to adjust my approach.

Lindo completely immersed himself in the role of Delta Slim, and it seems like Jordan was genuinely surprised by the performance! Here’s how he concluded the story:

I’m a huge fan, and what always strikes me about him is his incredible dedication and commanding presence. From the very beginning of this film, he set the tone – he was the first one to say, ‘This is the level of commitment we’re bringing to set, day in and day out,’ and Delroy absolutely lived up to that promise. He really inspired everyone.

After a remarkable 50-year career, Delroy Lindo has finally received his first Oscar nomination at age 73. He’s nominated alongside Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn for their work in One Battle After Another, as well as Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein, and Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value.

According to E! News, Lindo learned about the nomination when his son told him over the phone. He shared that hearing the news from his son was incredibly meaningful, as his son has witnessed his entire career. Lindo decided to join the project Sinners after Ryan Coogler personally sent him the script. He told Deadline that he loved the script and immediately agreed to take the role.

HBO Max subscriptions begin at $10.99 per month. With HBO Max, you can stream popular titles like Sinners and other anticipated 2025 releases such as One Battle After Another and Sorry, Baby, along with thousands of other movies, shows, and documentaries. See the deal here.

Jordan delivered a powerful performance, matching Lindo’s, particularly given that he plays twins – Smoke and Stack – in Sinners. This week, he also received his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

Jordan was widely expected to be nominated for an Oscar, but it was a pleasant surprise to see Lindo nominated as well, especially after he wasn’t recognized at events like the Golden Globes. The film Sinners also made history at the 98th Academy Awards, receiving a total of 16 nominations – the most ever for a single movie.

In addition to the nominations for Jordan and Lindo, the film is also up for Best Picture, along with awards for directing, writing, casting, and several technical achievements like editing, sound, and visual effects. Wunmi Mosaku is nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and the film also received nods for its production design, cinematography, music, costumes, and makeup. This wide range of nominations shows that, just like the actors, the entire team behind Sinners delivered exceptional work.

Tune in to ABC or Hulu on Sunday, March 15th to watch the 98th Academy Awards live. And if you’d like to see Jordan and Lindo in the movie Sinners, you can stream it with an HBO Max subscription.

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2026-01-24 22:09