‘The Last Dance’ Director Discusses The Side Of Michael Jordan That ‘Few’ Get To See

Getty Image

So, The Last Dance, huh? What a blast it’s been and right when we needed it most, too. I was born in the year 1993, so while I was certainly aware of who he was growing up, by the time I actually started watching sports, he was closing out his career on the Washington Wizards. As it likely is for so many of you, this is what’s made The Last Dance such a thrill: seeing all of this history play out through the behind-the-scenes footage.

For example, while I’ve always been aware of the existence of “The Shot” and which team they were playing and who was guarding MJ, I never knew that it happened in a First Round game. Given how significant it’s become and how often it’s shown whenever Jordan highlights are on, I guess always just assumed that it was in the Eastern Conference Finals.

I’ve always finally begun to learn the depths of Jordan’s personality, as he was previously nothing more than a living legend/billionaire team owner/brand/meme. Now, for the first time, I’m seeing who he is as a person. Obviously, that person is perhaps a little more, uh, prickly than I originally realized.

However, The Last Dance director Jason Hehir recently told IndieWire that despite the contents of his own documentary, there’s still a kinder side to Jordan that only “few” get to see.

“I didn’t spend a ton of time with him, but I spent enough hours with him that I saw him as a human being and still a very polite Southern kid at heart. It’s ‘Ma’am’ and ‘Sir,’” Hehir said.

“During our first interview, one of the makeup artists was about six-months pregnant. Someone offered him a cigar, to be more comfortable in the makeup room. And he said, ‘Are you kidding me? We have a pregnant woman here.’ He could not have been more polite with her, offering her a chair. And that’s when no cameras were there, just a few people in a room. That’s the kind of guy he is.” [via IndieWire]

We all joke about Michael Jordan’s roboticness, but this is the same man who openly wept when he won his first NBA title: he may be ruthless, but he’s not emotionless.

***

Eric is a New York City-based writer who still isn’t quite sure how he’s allowed to have this much fun for a living and will tell anyone who listens that Gotham City is canonically in New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter @eric_ital for movie and soccer takes or contact him eric@brobible.com