You don’t usually think of a fighter pilot role as a physical showcase, but Michael B. Jordan made sure his turn as Maurice “Bumps” Wilson in Red Tails hit different. Right out the gate, he’s throwing hands in the barracks, turning a playful scuffle into a display of fast fists and sharp footwork that shows he’s got more than just pilot skills. Once he’s in the air, that energy doesn’t let up. He’s yanking the controls like he’s in a street brawl with gravity, barking into the radio while dodging enemy fire, and pulling G-forces like it’s personal. In one brutal dogfight, Bumps takes a hit and nearly blacks out—but Jordan grits through it, clutching the stick like it’s life or death, sweat pouring and muscles flexed. Even when he’s grounded, he’s all tension and twitchy readiness—pacing, punching the air, never still. Jordan was a fighter in every sense of the word.
