Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson went to couples therapy as their Creed movie characters

Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson have been in an onscreen relationship for eight years and across three movies in the Creed franchise. And as with every relationship, apparently even the fictional ones, there's work to be done to keep that spark alive.

In an interview with Refinery29, Thompson revealed that in preparation for Creed III, she and Jordan actually went to couples therapy in character as Adonis "Donnie" Creed and Bianca Taylor, and found that the experience helped them in their real-life relationships as well.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson on a red carpet for 'Creed III'

"The line sometimes between character and us gets blurred because we bring so much of what we're exploring personally to the characters in general," Thompson said. "I'll say it was an early experience in couples therapy for us both [personally], but it was as these characters, which is very weird."

Thompson goes on to explain that therapy can be useful even a seemingly healthy relationship because it can help "sharpen communication and figure out how someone works." She added that having worked together on these movies for the better part of a decade, she and Jordan have "seen each other through various stages in our own romantic things."

"So we know stuff about each other's lives," Thompson said. "We shared and talked about it. So therapy ended up starting at work and getting more personal. Also, it was a chance for us to really talk to a couples therapist and understand what are some of the things [for] young parents who are trying to balance their own dreams and aspirations."

Creed III, which also features Jonathan Majors as Adonis Creed's best friend turned rival Damian "Diamond Dame" Anderson, is something of "a full PSA for therapy" Thompson jokes, citing her character Bianca and her journey lowering her defenses around Adonis.

"I think the moral of Creed III is that all people should go to therapy," Thompson said. Presumably people should go to therapy as themselves, but going as someone else seems to work pretty well, too.

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

Related content:

• How Jonathan Majors prepared to fight Michael B. Jordan in Creed III

• Creed III review: Not a total knockout, but a strong return

• Creed III director Michael B. Jordan got advice from Ryan Coogler, Denzel Washington