When Viola Davis found out that Michael Jordan had personally chosen her to play his mother in Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Nike thriller, AIR, she told, “I’m glad I didn’t know about it before. The role that started it all for Viola Davis.
The Academy Oscar winner, 57, expressed her “flattery” after discovering for the first time that evening that Michael Jordan personally chose her to play his mother, Deloris Jordan, in the movie to PEOPLE at Saturday’s Nike drama AIR premiere during SXSW in Austin.
Davis walked the red carpet with spouse and co-star Julius Tennon and stated, “I’m just hearing about it now. “It totally blew my head, so yeah. I’m relieved I wasn’t aware of it earlier.” “It’s very fantastic that johnny wanted her to play his mom,” said Tennon, 69.
In the movie AIR, Deloris assists her rookie son in realizing his 1984 Nike contract, which led to the creation of the multibillion-dollar Jordan Brand and the now-iconic Air Jordan shoe. Tennon portrays James Jordan Sr., Michael’s deceased father.
Davis conducted research by watching old footage of Deloris, who is now 81, and noticing “the anxiety” of accurately portraying her.”With her, I refer to zen neutrality. Someone who simply goes through life with serenity, making important choices, vanquishing dragons, and realizing dreams.
but doing it in a cool, concise manner. Certainly not me, “extra Davis. M.J. initially had his heart set on Adidas, but his mother persuaded him to give Nike a chance. “You’re going to go listen, my mum said. Even if you don’t like it, you’re going to go listen. She forced me to board the aircraft and go listen “In his upcoming 2020 ESPN docuseries The Final Dance, he recalled.
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Following that, Nike offered him the shoe line that Adidas had refused to give him along with $250,000. Michael Jordan stated, “I went into that conference not wishing to be there, and Nike made this big push. “You’d have to be a fool to turn down this offer, according to my father.
The best offer is here.” Since her son introduced the Dear Deloris in 2021 as part of his Jordan Series, which honors those who have contributed to his history, Deloris has been immortalized in the form of an Air Jordan.
Ben Affleck, 50, who also plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, directed AIR, the first film under the Artists Equity production organization founded by Affleck and Matt Damon. The 52-year-old actor plays Sonny Vaccaro, the Nike salesman who helped sign M.J.
