Though Michael B. Jordan may be living his best single life right now, he recently attended couples therapy — but it’s not what you think. In preparation for his “Creed III” role, he and costar Tessa Thompson attended sessions together as their respective characters, Adonis and Bianca Creed. (Hello, method acting.)
“It was an early experience in couples therapy for us both [personally], but it was as these characters, which is very weird,” Thompson said in an interview with Refinery29. “It was a chance for us to really talk to a couples therapist and understand what are some of the things young parents who are trying to balance their own dreams and aspirations [are facing].”
Both Thompson and Jordan, who have been working together for the “Creed” trilogy for nine years now, wanted to explore the emotional side of their character’s relationship with each other.
“What are the things [Bianca and Adonis] might be up against? What might be their impediments to happiness or success as a couple? That was really fascinating also to hear from [our couple’s therapist] and bring that into the stew,” Thompson added.
The 39-year-old actor also opened up about how attending couples therapy as her character, Bianca, reminded her of the importance of attending therapy in general. “I think it reminded us of our own personal lives that going to therapy, even when a relationship is good, can be a good thing if you’re trying to just sharpen communication and figure out how someone works,” she said. “It’s useful in so many relationships.”
Of course, Thompson is not wrong about the benefits of therapy. After all, couples therapy isn’t just for those who are struggling in their relationship. Not only can it help people learn to communicate more efficiently with their partner, but it can also help them navigate difficulties and misunderstandings as they arise. There’s a reason why couples therapy positively impacts 70 percent of people receiving treatment, one study says; it really is a game changer.
If you want to see how well Thompson and Jordan’s method acting paid off, you can watch the newest “Creed III” in theaters now. But if there’s anything Thompson wants viewers to take away from the movie, it’s that “the moral of Creed III is that all people should go to therapy because it’s something that I think really has helped Bianca, for example.”
Thompson added, “Bianca constantly reminds me to just stay in therapy, get into therapy, talk about your feelings. You don’t always have to have it figured out. You don’t always have to be tough.”
If you’re interested in finding your own mental health professional, you can check out these beginner steps to finding a therapist.