Actor Michael B. Jordon To Receive SBIFF’s Outstanding Performer of the Year Award
Alissa Orozco
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Actor Michael B. Jordan will be presented with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 41st annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival this upcoming February.
Recognizing select individuals who have distinguished themselves with excellent performances in film, past recipients of the award have included Bradley Cooper, Will Smith, Viola Davis, Angelina Jolie, Heath Ledger, and Kate Winslet.
Jordan will be honored for his acclaimed performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Warner Bros’ Sinners. The film marked Jordan’s fifth collaboration with director Ryan Coogler, previously working together on other blockbuster films (Creed and Black Panther). Sinners became the biggest debut for an original film since 2019, grossing more than $366 million worldwide.
“I have been a stalwart Michael B. Jordan fan since his days on The Wire, and now he’s a bonafide box office star giving one of the year’s most intricate performances – make that two – in ‘Sinners’,” says SBIFF’s Executive Director, Roger Durling. “He does incredibly nuanced work creating two specific characters – the brothers Smoke and Stack – and when they interact with each other, it’s pure alchemy. We’re pleased to honor him with our Outstanding Performer of the Year Award,” he added.
Jordan’s career has now gone far beyond his Friday Night Lights days – he made his directorial debut with Creed III, which broke records as the highest-grossing opening ever for a sports film. He will next direct, produce and star in a reimagining of The Thomas Crown Affair for Amazon MGM Studios. Through his production company, Outlier Society, Jordan is developing a diverse slate of projects with Amazon, Paramount, and Tri-Star.
The Outstanding Performer of the Year Award will be present on February 12th, 2026 at the Arlington Theatre.
The 41st annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place from February 4th through 14th, 2026.
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