Michael B. Jordan might have been in the NBA if he’d listened to “All My Children” star Jill Larson.
Jordan — who starred in “The Wire” and “All My Children” as a teenager — almost picked hoops over Hollywood: He appeared on the soap opera in 2003 and Larsen, who played Opal on the show, revealed he sought advice from her at the time about his future.
Larson shared with the crowd at a recent 92NY talk that the “Black Panther” star, now 37, came to her for guidance years ago as to whether or not he should leave the show or take a basketball scholarship for college, we hear.
“At the time, Jill’s motherly instincts prompted her to advise him on taking the scholarship. He did not — and the rest is history,” the attendee told us.
“Watch What Happens Live!” and “All My Children” superfan Andy Cohen moderated a panel with Larson and her daytime co-stars including Kelly Ripa, Eden Riegel, Jennifer Bassey and Francesca James, as well as head writer Lorraine Broderick, casting director Judy Blye Wilson and soap legend Susan Lucci.
Ripa met her husband Mark Consuelos during her soap days, and she thanked casting director Wilson for, well, everything.
“Without Judy, I would not have my husband. I would not have my children. You are responsible for every good thing that’s ever happened to us,” she said.
Lucci also recalled watching the lovebirds’ screen tests from a monitor, and noticing their chemistry before he was even cast on the show.
“We were all like, ‘Get a room!’” she quipped.
We hear Lucci hosted Cohen and most of the panelists for an early dinner after the discussion.
Jordan did go on to create a college basketball tournament, the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic.
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