Viola Davis shares honest confession about Michael Jordan’s demand

Viola Davis has recently confessed that she has learned for the first time that Michael Jordan “personally” chosen her to play his mother, Deloris Jordan, in the movie AIR.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Viola revealed that she’s “flattered” to know about the incident at the premiere of Nike’s drama AIR during SXSW in Austin.

“I'm just hearing about it now,” said Viola.

The Woman King actress continued, “So yeah, so it blew my mind. I'm glad I didn't know about it before.”

In new movie AIR, Viola told the media outlet that’s she prepared to be Deloris by watching videos so that she could justify her character.

“I use the term zen neutrality with her. Someone who just moves calmly through life, making major decisions, slaying dragons, making dreams come true. But doing it calmly and succinctly,” stated the actress.

She added, “Yeah, that's not me.”

Earlier on weekend, Ben Affleck also disclosed the demand from Michael, as he remarked, “None of this would have ever happened without my mother.’”

At the movie’s premiere at South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas, Ben mentioned, “Who would you like to play your mom?’ He said, ‘Well, it has to be Viola Davis.”

For the unversed, Michael mentioned that he originally had his sights set on Adidas, it was his mother who urged him to hear Nike out.

“My mother said, 'You're gonna go listen. You may not like it, but you're gonna go listen.' She made me get on that plane and go listen,” he recalled.

AIR, the first title under Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Artists Equity production banner, is slated to release in theatres on April 5.