Over the past decade, Michael B. Jordan has gained a massive fanbase with his performances in films like "Fruitvale Station '', "Creed '' and the comicbook supervillain Erik Killmonger in "Black Panther''. With inclusivity and diversity taking centre-stage in Hollywood, the international heartthrob feels it is a "lively time" to be an actor right now.

"I think it is always the right time to be an actor. Artistes use their platforms to express themselves. For me, I use my platform in a multitude of ways. I think it is a lively time to be an actor right now. I think it is pretty lively at the moment," Jordan, who was voted Sexiest Man Alive last year by People," told IANS in an exclusive chat.

Over the decades, several Indians have forayed the West, especially Hollywood, including Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Amrish Puri, Shashi Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Kabir Bedi and Persis Khambatta. In recent times, too, the likes of Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan, among many others, have featured in Hollywood projects.

In reverse, Hollywood films dubbed in regional Indian languages have been consistently doing good business in this country.

Tell Jordan language and culture are no longer barriers, and he agrees.

"Cinema is a universal language. It is one of those things that everybody can come and participate and share and experience, from all walks of life and from all over the world. Through the use of streaming, internet and social media everybody is connected to everything that is going on. Everybody has access to the stories you want to tell," Jordan said.

He added: "So, Somebody from one side of the globe, who never thought that somebody from the other side of the world would ever see their project or get a chance to hear their story, it's very possible to happen."

Jordan's latest release is "Without Remorse", which takes him into the world of bestselling author Tom Clancy's espionage and military-ops. Directed by Stefano Sollima, the film revolves around Clancy' s 1993 novel of the same name and casts him as John Clark.

The film also stars Guy Pearce, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Luke Mitchell, Brett Gelman, Colman Domingo, Lauren London and Jacob Scipio in pivotal roles. It was released on Amazon Prime Video in April.

(Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in)