Jonathan Majors: profiling the break-out star of Ant-Man and Creed III

Actor Jonathan Majors is having quite a moment. Having stunned with his memorable performances in The Last Black Man in San Francisco and Lovecraft Country, Majors is now hitting the big leagues with back-to-back appearances in two of 2023's biggest movies.

The first of these is Marvel Studios' Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, released on February 17th. Majors is introduced as the ominous Kang the Conqueror, the new overarching villain whose influence will extend through Marvel Phase Five and Marvel Phase Six. The actor builds on his fey, theatrical performance as Kang's variant 'He Who Remains' from Loki to depict a truly fearsome enemy who holds time in the palm of his hand.

Hot on the heels of Ant-Man is Creed III, released March 3rd. Majors' character Damian clashes with iconic boxer Adonis 'Donnie' Creed (Michael B. Jordan, who also directs) both inside and outside the ring, playing a vengeful ex-con who is determined to reclaim the status and the life he feels he's been denied.

Majors' performances in both films have been lauded for their intensity and commitment. To celebrate Majors' break-out month, we've rounded up some interesting facts about the actor who's set to embody both your new favourite Marvel villain and your new favourite Creed adversary.

• Majors admits to having had a troubled upbringing, growing up in the vicinity of criminals and being arrested for misdemeanors including shoplifting

• As an 18-year-old, Majors was stunned by Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight, and he later said it challenged his outlook on morality

• In fact, Majors translated his admiration for the film and Ledger's performance into an essay for Variety

• Majors' screen debut was in the 2016 ABC series When We Rise playing gay activist Ken Jones

• He landed the role while completing his MFA (Master of Fine Artists) degree at Yale School of Drama

• One year later, Majors made his big-screen debut in Scott Cooper's bleak western Hostiles, starring opposite The Dark Knight's Christian Bale

• Majors received significant attention for his lead role in the independent drama The Last Black Man in San Francisco, directed by Joe Talbot

• Former President of the United States Barack Obama rated it as one of his favourite films of 2019.

• The Black Lives Matter movement acted as the catalyst for Majors' reconciliation with his estranged father

• Director Spike Lee hand-picked Majors for a key role in his 2020 Vietnam War drama Da 5 Bloods

• “That’s privilege," Majors later said. "To be selected by [Spike Lee] —you feel chosen. You’ve been drafted into the Spike Lee army, and it’s the most honorable position you could be in as an actor."

• Majors strongly identified with the role of Atticus 'Tic' Freeman in the socio-political horror series Lovecraft Country

• He said of the role: "[Atticus] and I are very similar. All I’ve ever been in my entire life is a Black man. Same thing can be said for Atticus. The racial trauma that he carries, it is almost like breathing. And the thing that makes him special or different is that he refuses to just get along with it."

• Majors was Emmy-nominated for the Lovecraft Country episode 'Sundown'

• "I have an innate fear in me walking the streets," Majors told People. "It’s not just about the police—it’s about what any white person [might do], because they have fear in them as well. Fear recognizes fear. But it’s life or death."

• Majors' new movie Magazine Dreams sees him playing a fiercely dedicated body-builder whose fanatical discipline soon tips over into tragedy

• He has been acclaimed as a "tour de force" in the movie, which has just been picked up for distribution by the reputable art-house label Searchlight Pictures UK (The Favourite; The Banshees of Inisherin).

Will you be experiencing Jonathan Majors in both Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Creed III? Tweet us @Cineworld if he's on your watchlist.