“Fantastic Four” stars Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell sat through a series of dumb questions during an interview that has gone viral for being fantastically awkward.
“From what I understand, you’re brother and sister. Am I missing something?” Atlanta radio personality Jason Bailey asked Jordan and Mara during an interview promoting this Friday’s 20th Century Fox release. “But you’re white and you’re black. But how does that happen? Because in the other one, they’re just brother and sister, there was no back story.”
The “Fruitvale Station” actor plays Marvel superhero Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch, while Mara (“House of Cards”) plays Sue Storm, a.k.a. The Invisible Woman.
“I think they did the same thing with this one, too. I don’t think there’s any backstory. They’re just brother and sister,” Jordan responded.
But the radio personality pushed back: “How did that happen? There has to be some kind of adoption thing going on.”
“They could be raised as brother and sister,” Jordan explained. “There’s a whole bunch of family dynamics that could be without the obvious adoption.”
It’s not the first time Jordan has responded to questions or concerns over his skin color while playing a comic book character that was originally imagined as a white man. Internet outrage initially followed the studio’s casting announcement two years ago, and Jordan shared his feelings on the issue earlier this year.
“It used to bother me, but it doesn’t anymore,” Jordan wrote in an op-ed for Entertainment Weekly.
Jordan and his co-stars didn’t seem all that bothered by the line of questioning from the two radio personalities, who took to Twitter afterwards to share their feelings.
@mrjasonbailey @RockMornings 3rd most awkward moment in my life..#yeahcmon
— Steven J Rickman (@SouthsideSteve) July 30, 2015
What’s more awkward than asking why actors with different skin colors were cast as brother and sister? How about asking why the movie was made to begin with.
Fellow radio personality Steven J. Rickman chimed in, “My question would be, after watching the first two… why do another one?”
“How many ‘Batman’s have they made?” Mara asked before Rickman changed the subject to her appearance.
“Don’t get me wrong. I loved you in ‘Shooter.’ You’re way, way hot. Why did you cut your hair?”
“I’m sorry. I know you don’t like it, I can tell,” Mara said. “This is such a great interview.”
Watch the video above.
