Source: David M. Benett / Getty
Jonathan Majors is more than comfortable in his own skin, shutting down any questions about his masculinity with ease in a recent interview.
In a new interview with NPR, the Hollywood heavyweight talked all about his quickly climbing career, telling the story all the way from the beginning of his acting career. He also addressed the public perception surrounding him—which is largely positive—but also includes some critics who question his masculinity due to certain fashion choices.
Majors recently appeared on the cover of Ebony magazine, where he stripped down into nothing but a pair of shorts, socks and sneakers. There was a large red cape draped over his bare biceps as he sat on a pink chair and held two bouquets of roses, drawing some criticism from folks who clearly don’t know the first thing about masculinity.
When questioned about this photoshoot and his idea of masculinity, the Creed III star didn’t hesitate to shut down any purveyors of “traditional” masculinity, insisting it’s something that we all define ourselves.
“You tell me what masculinity is…It is fluid,” he explained. “I wouldn’t wanna walk up on me in the street.”
Majors went on to say: “There’s strength and there’s vulnerability. There’s awareness, and then there’s acknowledgement of ignorance. It doesn’t matter how much you weigh or how much you bench press. That’s not the point. But, I hear my brothers. We fight and claw for every inch of positive news we get. I don’t shy away from this idea of Black masculinity. I’m just living my life. I am male. I am Black.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Jonathan Majors talks about his aspirations for his career in the future, saying he wants to be someone that “the young homies” look up to–but he’s also just trying to do his best.
“When the young homies are looking at me like, ‘I want to be like Jonathan Majors,’ cool man,” he explained. “I’m trying to be like somebody else. I’m trying to be like Sidney Poitier. I’m trying to be like Denzel Washington. I’m trying to be like Philip Seymour Hoffman. I really believe — just do the best you can.”
Check out the full interview here.
