Michael B. Jordan Wrote an Essay For Anyone Who Doesn’t Want a Black Human Torch

As a rule, anyone who’s famous enough to be written about should probably avoid reading what’s written about them on the Internet. Especially those, who like Michael B. Jordan, in movies that get the fanboy troll army revved up.

Jordan, who plays Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, did not follow that advice sadly. He read what people said about him on the Internet, and he knows there are plenty of people who had a problem with a black man taking on the character who has been a white guy for more than 50 years.

Jordan wrote an essay for EW in which he admits that it bothered him at first, but not anymore.

“Some people may look at my casting as political correctness or an attempt to meet a racial quota, or as part of the year of “Black Film,” Jordan writes.

“Sometimes you have to be the person who stands up and says, ‘I’ll be the one to shoulder all this hate. I’ll take the brunt for the next couple of generations.’ I put that responsibility on myself. People are always going to see each other in terms of race, but maybe in the future we won’t talk about it as much. Maybe, if I set an example, Hollywood will start considering more people of color in other prominent roles, and maybe we can reach the people who are stuck in the mindset that ‘it has to be true to the comic book.’ Or maybe we have to reach past them.”

As for those trolls:

“To the trolls on the Internet, I want to say: Get your head out of the computer. Go outside and walk around. Look at the people walking next to you. Look at your friends’ friends and who they’re interacting with. And just understand this is the world we live in. It’s okay to like it.”

You can read the entire short essay, which is totally worth it, here.

About author(s)

Jenn

Jenn is a Book Lover, Fangirl, Daniel Cudmore's Number one Fan, and Ricky Whittle connoisseur and the "chairwoman" of #TheWhittleExperience. Co-Owner of FANdomConsultants.com. When not found traveling to and from NYC (my home, my heart), reading, or writing on one of the several sites she owns, she's usually on Tumblr stalking Ricky Whittle gifs and scouring the Internet for more goodies on Dan. Jenn is also a budding artist and has her own studio where she creates some fandom made goodies. Follow her on Twitter, & Instagram.