Jaafar Jackson has been tapped to play his uncle Michael Jackson in an upcoming biopic.The young actor underwent quite the transformation to become the King of Pop.Michael will chart the late singer’s rise to pop superstardom.
Though Michael Jackson lived the majority of his life in the spotlight, his legacy has never actually been given the silver screen treatment—until now. Forthcoming biopic Michael will chart the singer’s rise to pop superstardom with the titular role going to none other than his nephew, Jaafar Jackson. Judging by the film’s new trailer, the young actor completely transformed in order to embody his uncle’s je ne sais quoi.
The trailer features Jaafar acting out several key milestones from the King of Pop’s career, from his early days in the recording studio to his “Thriller” music video and his record-breaking “Bad” tour in the late 1980s. Jaafar’s hair, clothing, and overall look transform across these scenes, as did his uncle’s in real life.
Jaafar Jackson at a 2014 panel for ‘Living with the Jacksons.’.
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“This is your story,” Kendrick Sampson, who plays producer Quincy Jones, can be heard telling Jaafar during the trailer. “Honor your past, and embrace the future.”
Antoine Fuqua is directing Michael; other A-list cast members include Miles Teller, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, and Kat Graham.
Michael Jackson after being found not guilty at his 2005 child abuse trial.
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As for the controversies that plagued Michael later in life, it is unclear whether the film will address them. The singer passed away in 2009 of an accidental overdose and is survived by his son Bigi (formerly Blanket), his ex-wife Debbie Rowe, and the couple’s two children, Paris and Prince.
“I can’t speak for everybody who grows up in the spotlight, but there’s not a single normal thing about that,” Paris once said of her childhood with the world’s most famous pop star, per People.
Paris Jackson at the Friendly House 35th Annual Awards Luncheon in 2025.
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