Jonathan Majors is set to have a major, career-defining year in 2023. He’s the new villain (Kang the Conqueror) for multiple Marvel franchises, and locked into a multiyear contract. He has a major role in the third Creed movie, up against Michael B. Jordan. And he’s in an indie film called Magazine Dreams, which got amazing buzz at Sundance. I went into Majors’ Ebony cover profile not knowing much about his life or his vibe, and I was so impressed with him, his work ethic, his perspective. In case you’re wondering (I was), he’s 33 years old, he’s from Texas and he’s a VIRGO (omg). He’s a father to a nine-year-old daughter. He’s also only six feet tall? He seems a lot taller and bigger than that. Oh, and he has an MFA from Yale.
Whether he knows he has swagger: “I was told many times that I didn’t have swagger. I was told I wasn’t cool. I was forced to be an individual in order to survive. I had to believe in my own way of doing things. And that’s what swagger is, you know. It’s a supreme confidence in how one thinks and what one is capable of doing. Also, with that comes a huge amount of humility, because you can’t swag at the wrong spot, because it ain’t swaggy.”
What he teaches his daughter: “One of the most beautiful things we talk about is need versus want. I grew up very needy, meaning there are things I needed that I didn’t have. Fortunately for my kid, she’s not in that position. I worked very hard and continue to work hard—not just for the present, but for the future. She doesn’t have to do that, but she does understand.
What else he teaches his daughter: “We teach worth and value in our household, and self-worth. A big thing is, as she changes her hair up, I’m very clear to tell her I liked it the way it was. I love it now; I loved it then. Another thing we teach is smiling. Your emotions belong to you. No man can make you do anything or feel anything. And like her father, she’s not easily impressed. Yeah, I mean, big-head boys are going to have a hard time dealing with her. I feel bad for [them], because then you have to deal with her and me.
Defining his career: “Well, maybe that’s my Texas confidence, but I always said no [to scripts]. It was clear to me—which again has to do with the preparation conversation—it was clear early on what type of actor I wanted to be and how I wanted to be seen and the type of work I wanted to do. Sidney Poitier told Denzel Washington, “The first three films you make will define your career.” Those first three, four characters, especially when you’re talking mainstream, will define your career. I was very conscientious about not playing roles I didn’t think were going to move me forward as an actor. Now I’ll play the bad guy, I’ll play the good guy, I’ll play the morally corrupt guy. Because my job is to tell stories, and to tell stories in a way that allows people to see themselves and to change for the better. But early on, I had one rule for myself, and I say it to younger actors, too: Keep your rent low, and you don’t have to panic.
The lack of racism from Marvel fans: “Well, it’s not too late. Yeah, I thought it would’ve come by now, but we’ll see. People are crazy. Why do I not think it’s happened? I don’t know. I feel blessed. I was thinking about my sister Moses Ingram [who costarred in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi], who was also attacked. Perhaps the Star Wars camp is different. I don’t know. I don’t know if we’ve gotten it much in the Marvel world.
[From Ebony]
“Your emotions belong to you. No man can make you do anything or feel anything” – that’s amazing. Pity the men who tell his daughter to “smile, sweetheart.” This is good advice too: “Keep your rent low, and you don’t have to panic.” Especially for younger people starting out – don’t get ahead of yourself if you do have some early successes. Keep your rent low, stay humble, do the work.
The thing about the lack of Marvel-fan racism is kind of interesting too – if anything, Marvel fans seem to have a much bigger problem with misogyny, not racism. Think of how Marvel and the fans treated Black Widow. And Captain Marvel. And She-Hulk. And don’t forget the racism and sexism directed towards Ms. Marvel. So… yeah, it’s just a different kind of hate, but it’s still hate.
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Cover & IGs courtesy of Ebony.
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