- Viola Davis plays Deloris Jordan — Michael Jordan's mother — in the soon-to-be-released film, "Air."
- The EGOT winner said the key to nailing her role was becoming "a great observer and a great listener."
NEW YORK — Stepping into the mind of Michael Jordan's mother is no easy task.
Even Viola Davis, who is arguably the most esteemed actor on the planet, found it "especially difficult" to emulate Deloris Jordan.
Davis plays the NBA GOAT's mom in Ben Affleck's upcoming Jordan biopic, "Air," which tells the remarkable story of how the Bulls icon came to sign his historic, industry-altering shoe deal with Nike in 1984. Spoiler alert: His Airness' mother was instrumental in negotiating the terms that have since made her son an extraordinarily rich man.
And Jordan wanted the EGOT winner to play her. No pressure.
"You have to be a great observer and a great listener," Davis told audience members after an advanced screening of the film in New York City. "Those are the two things with acting; people feel like you are only involved when you're speaking, but especially with playing Doloris, all she does is observe and listen.
"She's gathering information before she comes in with the kill," she added.
Affleck learned directly from Jordan just "how meaningful and important" his mother was to the start of his brand empire, and quickly realized that's "what the movie is — what it's about." Deloris led by example to instill the values of "knowing your worth and self respect and taking risks" in her son, Affleck said.
If Jordan had it his way at the time, he would've relinquished his shoe rights for a shiny red Mercedes. Instead, his mother demanded that their agreement with Nike secured a revenue share in exchange for the use of the Jordan name.
Davis questioned whether her own mother, Mae Alice Davis, "would've brokered the deal" with the grace and savvy that Deloris exhibited, joking that she "would've taken her wig off and maybe put on some boxing gloves" instead. But more seriously, she wondered where Deloris' instincts originated.
"Seriously, no one had ever done that before," Davis said. "Where does that mindset come from?"
Perhaps it's simply the innate protective nature of a mother with a Black son, she said. Deloris wanted to ensure that Michael wasn't swindled by men in suits lusting after his talent — and the money it could command.
She does so by "gathering data" through observation and listening. Such is the foundation of her relationship with Sonny Vaccaro, the abrasive basketball guru played by Matt Damon who crafts the ambitious plan to lure Jordan to Nike.
"I have to really observe Sonny, especially because he is coming to my house," Davis says of her role as Deloris. "She said, 'No, you can't come inside my house. You come in the backyard.'"
Eventually, though, Vaccaro earns Deloris' trust. And in the end, they come together to forge arguably the most impactful alliance in sports marketing history.
"Air" comes out exclusively in theaters April 5. Check out the trailer below: