A Shocking End
The couple had been dating for more than a year. Michael B. Jordan and Lori Harvey had seemed happier than ever while together.
But it was difficult to tell what was happening beneath the surface. The news that the pair had split had stunned many. No one knew why they had separated, and there was much speculating about what had been the cause.
Flourishing Career
Jordan’s career and personal life were on cloud nine a few years before. He was named one of Time Magazine’s most influential people and People’s sexiest man alive in 2020.
He’s also starred in movies based on some of the most iconic comic book characters in history. However, he’s still human like the rest of us; all his successes didn’t spare him from having to go through a dramatic breakup.
Rising To The Top
Playing Killmonger in the blockbuster MCU movie Black Panther, Jordan first entered the genre when he starred as the first black rendition of Johnny Storm (also known as the Human Torch) in the rebooted Fantastic Four franchise.
It’s fair to say that Jordan has become a poster child for Marvel motion pictures. But that’s not all.
More Successes
Jordan has even more successes under his belt. The New York Times named Jordan one of the greatest actors of the 21st century. He’s also won an Emmy as a producer on the dystopian drama film Fahrenheit 451.
As the lead actor in the Creed movies, Jordan proved to be a worthy successor as he continued Sylvestor Stallone’s iconic Rocky franchise.
Behind The Camera
Jordan is set to make his directorial debut in the upcoming Creed III and will reprise his role in the highly anticipated sequel to Black Panther.
Not bad for a 35-year-old. However, no amount of professional success, wealth, or fame can save you from heartbreak; and Jordan’s personal life isn’t going as smoothly as his career in movies.
Lori
As far as young talent goes, Lori Harvey is no slouch, either. At the tender age of 25, the adoptive daughter of legendary comedian Steve Harvey, Lori has become a success in her own right.
After all, birds of a feather flock together, and it makes sense that these two bright and talented people would click with each other. However, all that glitters is not gold.
Blessing In Disguise
Originally planning a career as a professional equestrian, injury forced Lori to look to other avenues. But they say every cloud has a silver lining, and Lori is clear proof of that.
Lori’s injury turned out to be a blessing in disguise; after turning to modeling, the 25-year-old’s success in the profession has been incredible and unprecedented.
Modeling Career
As a model, Harvey proved highly bankable and signed with prestigious agencies in the USA and Europe. She’s modeled for some of the most iconic design houses on the planet, such as Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino.
But that’s not all. There’s a lot more to Lori Harvey than a pretty face. She also has a fierce entrepreneurial spirit and loads of business intelligence.
Entrepreneur
Harvey has also become a successful entrepreneur by launching her own skincare brand, SKN. Lori herself has explained the purpose of her brand in different interviews.
It was her own struggles with her skin that encouraged to launch her own brand in order to help women who may have the same issues as her. This is how she explains it:
Rosacea
“I have rosacea and would struggle to find the right products to use,” Harvey tells Vogue. “Then I got into modeling, and between shoots and backstage at runway shows, you have so much makeup being put on your face.”
“My skin was constantly going through it. So after using, like, 20 different products on my face at one time, I felt like there had to be a simpler way for me to get my skin looking the way I wanted it to.”
Power Couple
Her success and background naturally provided her opportunities to befriend and hang out with many celebrities; this is how she met Micheal B. Jordan.
From the first moment, sparks flew from both sides, and every time they were seen in public, the pair seemed absolutely enamored with each other. Who could have predicted that it would end up like this? In order to understand why one must take into consideration how things started between the two.
Micheal And Lori
The couple reputedly met through common friends. "We met actually a few years ago," Harvey said. "We had some mutual friends. I think we met out, just in passing. I was like, 'He's cute!'" she recalls her first impression.
That was years before 2021 when Harvey gave the interview where she mentioned that first encounter. But it wasn’t until November 2020 that the couple began dating.
They Were Seen At An Airport
Soon enough, the public could see the new couple traveling and vacationing together. In November 2020, the two of them were seen at an airport in Harvey's hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, just before Thanksgiving.
That was their first public appearance together and probably one of the early stages of their relationship. No one could have predicted what would happen eventually.
“New Year, New Things”
About a month later, Jordan and Harvey were photographed in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the end of December. The couple didn't post pictures together, but they shared snaps of their surroundings separately.
And that wasn’t all: Jordan even posted a picture with a caption that quite possibly had a double meaning, writing, "New year, new things."
Making It Official
Shortly after, on January 10, 2022, the couple made their relationship official. They both posted a picture with each other on their Instagram pages.
However, back then, they had the intention of keeping their relationship largely private and away from the media. This leads us to one question: why was that? Did they have something to hide?
Staying Out Of The Public Eye
"There's a premeditated planning of staying out of the way, of the public eye, that sometimes kills spontaneity and intimacy," Jordan told the media.
"I wanted to take that away and give this the best chance it had, in this weird world that we live in, to be somewhat normal,” the famous actor added. But he said something else that was hard to forget.
The Right Time
“Long story short, I think it's just the timing of everything. It was the right time for me. Yeah. I'm happy," the star concluded. Or at least he was happy by the time he gave the interview. However, nothing good lasts forever.
Fans who have followed the couple’s year-and-a-half relationship might be forgiven for thinking they were solid as a rock. This was why news of their split was a complete surprise to many.
Perfect Relationship
Michael and Lori are like the poster children for social media, not telling the entire story. The couple’s Instagram accounts were known for their sweet posts together.
Fans seemingly had no idea that things weren’t as rosy as they seemed. Then again, perhaps they can be forgiven for this. After all, social media accounts being used to only emphasize the good parts of people’s lives is kind of a trend.
Rumors
Of course, when you’re part of a celebrity couple, rumors and gossip are bound to follow your every move. Early on, once news broke of the couple’s split, both were reported to be “heartbroken” over it and still loved each other.
These rumors hinted at a story of a love doomed by external circumstances. But was that true? What could those circumstances be?
Who’s Fault Was It?
The rumor mill didn’t disappoint in the aftermath. There were soon claims and speculation over why the couple split and who was to blame.
Most rumors indicated that Steve Harvey, Lori’s dad, had a part to play in it. But how was that? Did he personally get involved in Michael and Lori’s relationship? How strong was his disapproval?
Steve And Michael
Having a daughter can be stressful for any father as they’re forced to watch their little girl grow up. When your daughter is a gorgeous model, and her partner is a famous actor, that can be a hard scene for a certain type of father to witness.
And that’s the crux of the matter; some people have hinted that Steve Harvey may have been precisely that type of father.
Authoritarian
While Steve Harvey is known as a loving father, he’s also been known for his comically hostile stand-up. In fact, Steve does sometimes appear to be somewhat authoritarian.
This led to speculation that he never liked Michael B. Jordan for his daughter. But is it true? And what’s most important: what type of reasons could there be for that?
The Truth
Steve Harvey has publicly commented that he tried hard not to like Jordan but couldn’t help himself. According to Harvey, Jordan is a “good guy”, and famously once said on his talk show, “I like this one,” when Lori and Michael first began dating.
It, therefore, seems that there is no substance to rumors that Steve never liked Michael B. Jordan. However, can the same be said for Lori’s mom?
Momma Bear
Majorie Harvey, unlike Steve, has been a little more cryptic after the couple’s split. Some have hinted that she may have been the main person in Lori’s circle to oppose her relationship with Michael.
Less than two days after the news was announced, Lori’s mom posted comments on social media that seemed to throw some shade in Jordan’s direction.
“It Stops Smelling”
She basically said that if a person stayed around something smelly long enough, “it stops smelling”. That was her response when she was asked for her opinion about Lori and Michael’s breakup.
While many have speculated that these words are digs at Jordan, no one really knows why. So what do we know about why the couple split?
Sad If True
Celebrities lives are always mired in constant speculation and gossip regarding their personal lives. According to a “source” close to the pair, the reason is actually sad in a way.
Michael is ten years older than Lori, who is still in her mid-twenties. This type of age difference might be the source of problems with any couple, but it can become even more significant when it comes to celeb couples with busy lives and schedules.
Bad Timing
It seems the couple is simply in different stages of their careers and lives. Sadly, while Michael wants to settle down and “commit”, Lori wants to focus on her career more at this stage and just isn’t ready.
This is something that happens to a lot of couples with this kind of age difference. Rumors have hinted that it was the same reason behind Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson’s breakup.
If The Shoe Fits
If the above source is correct, it does fit in with the fact that both are “heartbroken” and “still in love”. It also means a sad end to a relationship that did seem to be perfect, at least on the surface.
Whatever the truth or the future holds, many fans probably hope the pair will reunite one day. After all, as far as celebrity couples go, it’s been quite a roller coaster of a year.
Trouble In Paradise
Given the much-publicized troubles between couples like Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, other couples like Michael and Lori seemed like a breath of fresh air in comparison. 3
It may be too early to tell, but make-ups in the world of celebrity couples are just as common as break-ups. One thing is for sure, fans who follow their every move will be there through each high and low.
To The Future
Michael and Lori are taking the split badly but are reportedly both mature about it too. The age difference is likely responsible as Jordan is far more advanced in his career and life experience, so it's doubtful that anyone will begrudge Lori the same.
Only the future will tell if this once cute couple will find a way to rekindle or go on to different chapters in their lives. In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.