The stars have spoken. Michael B. Jordan is the Actor Awards’ leading man. On March 1 at the 2026 Actor Awards in Los Angeles, Jordan took home the award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, for his dual portrayal of twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster hit, Sinners.
Pleasantly presented by veteran actress Viola Davis, the Oscar winner couldn’t hide her excitement once she opened the envelope.
“You’re shining!” Davis shouted with an ear-to-ear smile, calling out Jordan’s name. The audience immediately erupted into cheers and a grand standing ovation.
Before walking on stage to accept his award, the Fruitvale Station star shared an emotional hug with co-star Delroy Lindo, who was by Jordan’s side when the two were accosted by an unwelcome racial slur while presenting at the BAFTAs last month.
“I don’t even know where to begin. I wasn’t expecting this at all,” Jordan started his speech, clearly in awe of the moment. “I’m so honored and privileged to be nominated in categories with people and actors and humans that I love. This ride has been unbelievable. So, thank you for welcoming me in and making me feel seen. And y’all know how I feel about y’all.”
The New Jersey native went on to thank his mother, Donna, for driving him “back and forth to New York” for auditions, and Coogler, for giving the cast of Sinners a ”safe space for us to find the truth.”
The honor marked Jordan’s first individual leading actor win at the season’s top shows, after losing out on the title to fellow nominees Timothée Chalamet, Wagner Moura, and Robert Aramayo. But the night before The Actors, Jordan was celebrated with the Entertainer of the Year honor in a beautiful moment at the 57th NAACP Image Awards, where he dedicated his award to the late Chadwick Boseman.
Back at The Actors, the Sinners’ magic only continued. Shortly after Jordan accepted his award, the history-making film was once again in the spotlight, winning the Best Cast in a Motion Picture award. The cast accepted the award from an equally excited Samuel L. Jackson, who, similar to Davis, couldn’t contain his happiness while reading the envelope. Once on stage, Lindo took the floor and shared a heartfelt speech dedicated to his cast, Coogler, and his wife, and everyone who helped create the hit film.
Holding back tears, Lindo said, “This project is anointed. We are all anointed to be a part of this incredible giant, created by the genius Ryan Coogler.”
Continuing (and brushing off the show’s play-off music), he said, “I love y’all, man. Every last one. This cast, this company. In front of the camera, behind the camera…From the bottom of our hearts, from the bottom of your hearts, thank you so much for everything.”
The joy was felt from the stage and audience, to the winner’s room where the cast— including Lindo, Miles Canton, Omar Benson Miller, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Lola Kirk, Jack O’Connell, and newly-minted BAFTA winner Wunmi Mosaku—were all smiles, posing proudly with their Actor statuettes, a moment reminiscent of the cast’s first big ensemble win at the Gotham Awards back in December.
In addition to Sinners‘ big wins, Coogler also made history, becoming the first director to have two films win the cast award category, with Black Panther taking home the honor in 2019.
Ahead of Sunday evening’s Netflix-sponsored ceremony, the love for Sinners was also palpable on the red carpet.
“I saw Sinners twice,” The Bear star Lionel Boyce told EBONY before making the ultimate decision: Whether he’s more of a Smoke or a Stack — Jordan’s now-iconic twin characters. “I like to think that I’m both depending on the day of the week. Tuesday and Thursday, I’m Smoke. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I’m Stack.”
Meanwhile, Abbott Elementary’s Jack Fox said he was more of Smoke, but only saw Sinner once, explaining that it was a moment that needed to be “cherished.”
And it was no surprise that the Sinners cast, as well as Coogler, were high on many actors’ dream collaboration lists.
“I’d just love to work with Ryan Coogler. I love absolutely everything he does. I love what he stands for. His values. His pursuit of excellence — everyone who works with him always has good things to say,” The Pitt star Tracy Ifeachor said of the director. Echoing Lindo’s sentiments, she added, “It feels like a safe place. It’s like a family feeling, and we need more of that.”
“I’d love to work with Miles [Canton], and I would love to work with Wunmi [Mosaku]. I saw her when I came in tonight, and I was like, ‘You’re so beautiful,” One Battle After Another’s Chase Infiniti said of the two Sinners stars.
But if there’s one person who might dub themselves head of the Sinners fan club, it would be Sheryl Lee Ralph. While reminiscing about all the leading men —from Sidney Poitier to Eddie Murphy— she’s been grateful to work with throughout her illustrious career, Ralph realized there was one more person she’d like to add to her co-star list. “I’d love to do a movie with Delroy Lindo. Delroy is such a successful talent this year, and I think he’s a wonderful actor.”
Ralph shared her love for both Lindo and his now-Actor Award-winning film when she was overheard on the carpet talking about a good first-date film, to which she naturally exclaimed, “Sinners!”