Michael Jackson's Nephew Jaafar Jackson Says He 'Had to Really Earn the Role' of Playing His Uncle in Biopic
- - Michael Jackson's Nephew Jaafar Jackson Says He 'Had to Really Earn the Role' of Playing His Uncle in Biopic
Benjamin VanHooseFebruary 10, 2026 at 10:50 PM
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Jaafar Jackson in 'Michael' (2026); Michael Jackson on March 22, 1983
Glen Wilson/Lionsgate ; Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty
Jaafar Jackson talks about preparing to play his uncle Michael Jackson in the movie Michael
"I never dreamed to be an actor or even thought of playing him. But I knew it was a calling," says the 29-year-old star
Michael, which also stars Nia Long, Colman Domingo, Laura Harrier and Miles Teller, is in theaters April 24
Jaafar Jackson is detailing how he channeled Michael Jackson for a new movie telling his life story.
A behind-the-scenes look at Michael debuted on Tuesday, Feb. 10, previewing Jaafar's transformation into his late uncle for the big screen.
"I never dreamed to be an actor or even thought of playing him. But I knew it was a calling," Jaafar, 29, says in the video. "Embodying Michael, I really had to earn the role and prove to the filmmakers that I was capable of becoming Michael. Essentially it was starting at the roots and finding the authenticity."
Jaafar, who is one of Michael's older brother Jermaine Jackson's seven children, says he "felt that love for Michael every day on set from the crew and the cast. Everybody had that love and wanted to put their heart and soul into it."
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In the clip, the film's producer Graham King says, "Going through this process of who can play Michael, how do you even start with that? And then, of course, I meet Jaafar Jackson."
Jaafar Jackson in "Michael"
Courtesy of Lionsgate
Recalls director Antoine Fuqua, "Day one, all I could think of was, 'Can Jaafar really pull this off?' Man, when the music started and he hit those first few moves, I mean, this guy killed it. I looked at Graham and Graham looked at me, I was like, 'Who is this guy?!' "
Fuqua, 60, adds that Jaafar "has the desire — like Michael — to be the best."
The cast also includes Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe, Juliano Valdi as young Michael, and Miles Teller as John Branca.
Lionsgate describes Michael as a "cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known." Among the long-delayed film's producers are co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain.
A synopsis says the film showcases Michael's life "beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world."
Jaafar Jackson in "Michael"
Michael was 50 years old when he died on June 25, 2009. He had three kids: Prince, Paris and Bigi (formerly known as Blanket), who are now 28, 27 and 23, respectively.
Michael is in theaters April 24.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
