Michael B. Jordan Accepts ‘American Cinematheque Award’ with Tributes from Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, Tom Cruise and More
Hollywood, Calif. – November 20, 2025 – The American Cinematheque hosted its 39th Annual American Cinematheque Awards on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at The Beverly Hilton, honoring Michael B. Jordan and the Motion Picture Association. Michael B. Jordan received the ‘American Cinematheque Award,’ while the Motion Picture Association was honored with the ‘Power of Cinema Award’ Presented by Hill Valley. The event is an annual fundraiser for the American Cinematheque, a non-profit organization that continues its year-round programming at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, Los Feliz 3 Theatre in Los Feliz, the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, and most recently the Westwood Village Theater. The American Cinematheque recently partnered with the Village Directors Circle to program, manage and serve as the operating partner working to preserve the Westwood Village Theater, with active participation from filmmakers.
American Cinematheque chairman Rick Nicita welcomed guests and introduced filmmaker Jason Reitman, who urged attendees to contribute to the American Cinematheque’s filmmaker-supported effort to preserve the Westwood Village Theater. President Mark Badagliacca followed in his remarks to thank sponsors and volunteers for their continued support.
Éric Nebot, American Cinematheque board member and founder and CEO of Hill Valley took to the stage to share a few words about the ‘Power of Cinema Award’ and Hill Valley. Donna Langley, chairperson of Universal Pictures, then presented the ‘Power of Cinema Award’ to the Motion Picture Association’s chairman and CEO, Charles H. Rivkin: “At his helm, the MPA has maneuvered some of the industry’s most challenging times and ensured that we made it to the other end stronger than before – and through it all, this organization has never lost sight of what gives cinema its power: the people who make it.” Rivin accepted, saying, “Our job is to fight for you. We fight to protect content and empower the people who make it… We fight for the casts and the crews who bring magic to our screens and jobs to our communities across this nation…”
Miles Caton, Ludwig Göransson, and Raphael Saadiq gave a special musical performance of “I Lied to You” from Ryan Coogler’s box office phenomenon and critically acclaimed film Sinners, in which Michael B. Jordan delivered a career-defining performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack.
Ben Affleck, Mahershala Ali, Angela Basset, Ryan Coogler, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Daniel Kaluuya, Delroy Lindo, Phylicia Rashad, Octavia Spencer, Tessa Thompson, and Irwin Winkler toasted Michael:
Ben Affleck described him as a “young man with enormous talent and even more impressive character… I got to watch him navigate this world with grace and calm, and it has been one of the great joys of my career.” Mahershala Ali took audiences on a journey to the beginning, from his first IMDb credit in The Sopranos to Friday Night Lights: “It’s quite evident that Michael B. Jordan is definitely in control [of his own destiny]… Even as a young actor, he was able to channel something greater – it didn’t matter if the screen time was 30 seconds or 30 episodes, Michael’s talent has always reflected the truth… doing whatever it takes to get the shot.” Octavia Spencer reflected on playing Michael’s mother in Fruitvale Station, his first leading role, calling him a brilliant character actor with an unstoppable work ethic: “You make more than a massive impression, you make a movie that withstands the test of time.”
Irwin Winkler spoke about working with Michael on Creed III, which included not only starring, but also serving as a first-time director and producer. Phylicia Rashad commented on Michael’s approach to making every decision and every film in service of telling the story. Creed franchise co-star Tessa Thompson explored the impact of Michael’s work and why he is so beloved: “Michael’s contribution to film expands visions, not just of Black masculinity, but of the Black family. They insist on our value, not just culturally, but commercially. And, in an industry that has sometimes tried to undervalue us, especially globally, he demonstrates that not only do our faces travel, but they travel in so many brilliant ways… You embody excellence without ego. You are what it means when power meets empathy, something that sadly is in short supply.”
Bradley Cooper spoke to Michael being a hero both on- and off-screen: “You’ve become a hero to so many, not just because of the characters you play, but because of who you are: you’re bold, you’re curious and strong, and you’re humble in a way that makes the rest of us wonder, ‘Do you have a secret contract with the universe?’ …You are shaping the culture, you’re lifting spirits, and you’re casually redefining what it means to be a hero.” Daniel Kaluuya shared his admiration for Michael’s character work citing “fresh truths in every line that he makes, devotion to depth, and his humanity… Michael B. Jordan is a movie star. And while his star continues to rise, he keeps showing us he’s an artist as well.” Angela Basset commented, “You make us proud, not only with what you’ve done, but with how you lead.” Delroy Lindo, Michael’s Sinners co-star echoed the sentiment: “What this film says about identity, history, humanity is of course profound, we all know this; but it calls for a lead actor who could bring an equally profound amount of heart onto that set each and every day.” Tom Cruise added, “I admire your talent, your dedication, your constant willingness to learn and push the boundaries of storytelling… You validated the magic of the big-screen experiments.”
Ryan Coogler gave the final nod, underscoring Michael’s remarkable dedication to delivering performances that feel fully lived in and authentic. Across various roles, Michael has pushed himself in distinct ways — he has trained 12–15 hours a day to physically transform into a boxer, learned how to fire military-grade weapons to authentically portray a Navy SEAL, and worked with an acting coach to seamlessly shift between two entirely different characters in a single shooting day. “He has the power to make magic. He has the power to get to the truth that all of our humanity is real, that all of these constructs we make – race, identity, citizenship, though deadly, though powerful, they are just constructs. Mike shines through that.”
Amid an emotional standing ovation, Michael B. Jordan first expressed his gratitude to Ryan Coogler: “Finding a collaborator like [Coogler] early in my career changed everything for me. I’m very fortunate to have him and our creative partnership.” He continued by imparting his hope for the next chapter of his journey in the industry: “There’s so much going on in the world right now, and that can be really heavy at times, so I want to continue to be the light and hopefully spark that same light in you. It’s a blessing to wake up and do what we do everyday for a living…” Paying homage to legendary novelist Toni Morrison, he concluded: “‘If there’s a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it,’” adding, “So, to the artist, plant your seeds, find your people, build with them. And to the people making decisions about what stories do get told, be bold. Take the risk, these stories matter.”
Additional attendees included Dan Lin, Guillermo del Toro, Jaalen Best, Ken Scherer, Lorraine Nicholson, Pamela Abdy, Paula Wagner, Sam Levinson, Samantha Quan, Sean Baker, Yvette Nicole Brown, Zinzi Coogler, and many more.
Major sponsors of the event included Amazon MGM Studios, Morgan Creek Productions, The Walt Disney Studios, Hill Valley, Warner Bros. Discovery, Atlas Entertainment, Comcast NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, and Right of Way Films.
About American Cinematheque
Established in 1984, the American Cinematheque is a member-supported 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural arts organization dedicated to building an engaged film community through immersive film curation, conversation, and presentation. The AC celebrates the film-going experience at the core of its mission. Since it first began showing films in theatres in 1985, the American Cinematheque has provided a wide range of film programming, with both new and repertory cinema, hosting screenings, panels, and special events with thousands of filmmakers. Presenting in 35mm, 70mm, rare nitrate, and state-of-the-art-digital. The American Cinematheque showcases over one thousand films per year; it connects the filmmaker to the audience and film history to its future. For more information, please visit americancinematheque.com.