Key Takeaways
- After an Oklahoma grandmother named Mary Story went viral for framing a magazine photo of Michael B. Jordan and hanging it on her family wall like he was one of her grandkids, the actor responded by sending her an amethyst necklace and later surprising her with a FaceTime call.
- On the call, Story greeted him as “your granny,” Jordan thanked her for the love, praised seeing three generations of Black women from Tulsa, and teased that he might “pull up” for a visit after being invited by the family.
- The wholesome moment arrives as Jordan rides major career momentum, fresh off an Oscar win for Sinners and gearing up to direct, produce, and star in Amazon MGM’s The Thomas Crown Affair reboot, set for a March 5, 2027, theatrical release with a cast that includes Adria Arjona, Lily Gladstone, Danai Gurira, and Kenneth Branagh.
Michael B. Jordan just found out he has a new grandmother in Oklahoma—and he handled it like family. The actor surprised Mary Story, a grandmother who went viral after framing his magazine photo and placing it on her family wall beside pictures of her actual grandchildren, with a FaceTime call and a thank-you gift after the story made its way to him online.
According to WPLG Local 10, Story came across a magazine photo of the 39-year-old actor, framed it, and added it to a wall filled with family pictures. Her grandchildren noticed the unexpected addition and posted the moment to TikTok, where the video took off fast.
What started as a sweet family joke quickly turned into a viral moment big enough to reach Jordan and his team.
“The video went viral in probably 24 hours,” Story’s granddaughter Natalie Sims told the outlet. “So by day two, his team reached out and said, ‘You know, Michael has seen the video, and we want you to know that he’s seen the video. He will respond, but he is on a promo run in London, but we want to send Granny something special.’”
Jordan’s team first sent Story an amethyst necklace and bracelet as a gift. Then the Sinners star took things a step further by hopping on FaceTime with Story and her family. In a follow-up TikTok video, Story greeted him directly: “Why hello Michael. This is your granny.”
Jordan played right along while thanking her for the love. “I see,” he replied. “Thank you so much for all the love you’ve been showing...you’ve got a beautiful family. Thanks for including me in the collage in the family pictures.”
During the call, Story showed Jordan exactly where his photo had been placed. Her daughter also joined in and thanked him for making time for the family, calling him “truly the man of the year.”
Jordan’s response kept the moment grounded. “No problem,” he said. “I just love seeing three generations of beautiful Black women. This is great. Y’all are amazing. So much strength, especially from Tulsa. I’ve never been to Tulsa before.”
That was all the family needed to hear. They immediately invited him to visit, and Jordan did not shut the door on it. “I might just surprise y’all,” he said. “I’ma pull up.”
The viral moment comes during a major stretch for Jordan. He recently won an Oscar for his performance in Sinners and is also directing, producing, and starring in Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming reboot of The Thomas Crown Affair.
The first poster and trailer for the film were recently revealed, showing Jordan as a sharply dressed Thomas Crown beneath the tagline, “Revenge is a work of art.” The film is currently set to arrive in theaters on March 5, 2027.
Adria Arjona stars opposite Jordan in The Thomas Crown Affair as the investigator pursuing Crown, stepping into the role after Taylor Russell exited the project due to creative differences. The film also features Lily Gladstone, Danai Gurira, Kenneth Branagh, Pilou Asbæk, Ruth Negga, and Aiysha Hart.
