Michael B Jordan pulled off the upset of awards season as he beat Timothee Chalamet for the top acting prize at the Actor Awards 2026, on Sunday night.
That was not the only massive surprise for the talented star as his film, Sinners, also shocked as it earned top prize Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the event which took place at The Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, according to the report by Daily Mail.
The 39-year-old star Michael B Jordan was left in tears as he earned the win in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.
He beat Chalamet who starred in Marty Supreme in a field which also included: Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon, and Jesse Plemons – Bugonia.
Michael B Jordan was bewildered as he looked down at his new actor trophy with his hands at his face and his mouth fully open.
Chalamet, 30, – who previously won at the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards – was a good sport as he stood up and applauded Jordan alongside his co-star Gwyneth Paltrow, 53.
When his name was announced, it was his mother Donna Jordan who had a shocked look on her face as she joyfully grabbed his shoulders.
During his speech, Jordan recognized his mother in a very sweet way as he said: ‘Mom, thank you for driving me back and forth to New York, when we didn’t have enough money to go through the Holland Tunnel.’
The veteran actor went on to thank his peers who voted for him to earn his crowning moment while admitting that he wasn’t expecting this win.
Michael B Jordan said: ‘I wasn’t expecting that. I’m so honored and privileged to be nominated in categories with people and actors and humans that I love, and I love their work and what they contribute to our craft and just rise to has been unbelievable.
‘So, thank you for welcoming me in and making me feel seen.’
It was not just Jordan’s mother’s reaction that had people talking as presenter Viola Davis’ jaw dropped when she opened up the envelope before she announced the star as the winner and shouted in celebration.
The Ryan Coogler written and directed horror flick later earned the top ensemble acting prize over Frankenstein (Netflix), Hamnet (Focus Features), Marty Supreme (A24), and One Battle After Another (Warner Bros).
Delroy Lindo spoke out on behalf of the cast as they earned Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture just one week after he and Jordan were presenting at the BAFTAs last weekend when a guest with Tourette’s bellowed the word ‘n*****’ at them.
John Davidson, whose life story inspired the BAFTA-nominated film I Swear, shouted the expletive while the black actors presented the first prize of the night at the Royal Festive Hall in London this past Sunday.
Lindo later hit out at BAFTA for failing to address the incident with him following the ceremony, saying he wished ‘someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.’
Sinners is centered around two brothers who return to their hometown to start again only to discover that an even greater evil – in the form of vampires – is waiting to welcome them back.
Jordan portrayed both brothers in the film: older and more serious twin Elijah ‘Smoke’ Moore in addition to younger and more cheerful sibling Elias ‘Stack’ Moore.
Jessie Buckley was in disbelief as she triumphed over the likes of Kate Hudson and Emma Stone to earn the other top acting prize.
The 36-year-old Irish actress was emotional as she earned Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her work in Hamnet.
The star-studded field included the aforementioned Hudson for Song Sung Blue and Stone for Bugonia along with Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You and Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another.
The Chloé Zhao-directed and written film takes place after Agnes and William Shakespeare (Buckley and Paul Mescal) lose their son Hamnet to the plague and grapple with grief in 16th-century England, based on the novel of the same name.
Agnes is a healer who must find strength to care for her surviving children while processing her devastating loss.
Amy Madigan was a big winner as she continues her sweep through Award Season.