Michael B Jordan, Jamie Foxx discuss their characters in 'Just Mercy'

Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx and Michael B Jordan opened up about their characters in Destin Daniel Cretton's 'Just Mercy' and how they prepared for the forthcoming courtroom drama.

Based on a New York Times bestselling memoir by Bryan Stevenson, a civil rights defence attorney founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, the film follows Stevenson's first case where a black man, Walter McMilian was sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit.

"They sent over Bryan's TED Talk. That was my first real introduction to Bryan Stevenson and his work, and I felt a little embarrassed that I didn't know about him and what he was doing before that," The Hollywood Reporter quoted Jordan as saying.

He added that the movie can work for Bryan to help him achieve some real change.

"I think the world is getting ready to get a real deep-dive into the work he'd been doing and can be a tool for Bryan to make some real change," Jordan said.

Whenever it comes to choosing his films, Jordan said that it is never about money and added that he never 'chase clout, limelight, any of that stuff.'

"I just want to do things that are honest and help people grow," he opined.

However marvellous performances the actor might have given but he admitted being nervous prior to taking up Stevenson's role and said, "This guy is damn near perfect, I don't want to mess this up. I know how important it is. That might be me up onscreen, but I want you to see and feel this man."

Foxx praised Jordan for his impactful performance and shared that the extra in the film were weeping. "The extras in the fourth row were weeping, that's how powerful, important and how sincere he was about it and how sincere Destin was about it."

While talking about his role as the imprisoned man, Foxx shared that he took inspiration from his own personal experiences of growing up in a racially divided town in Texas, and said, "My personal experience of being outside of the norm when it came to racial things, that prepared me."

Co-produced by Jordan with Gil Netter and Arthur Spector, the film is releasing next year in January.