Michael Jackson's nephew has been cast to play him in the biopic Michael. Lionsgate's upcoming biopic will chronicle the life and legacy of the legendary pop star, who hailed from a musical family that made up the child pop band, the Jackson 5. After moving on from the group, Jackson would achieve one of the most successful musical careers of all time. Michael has already tapped Training Day's Antoine Fuqua as director and now, the movie has made its first major casting.
Michael has officially cast the late pop star's nephew, Jaafar Jackson, to play his uncle in the upcoming biopic. Jaafar Jackson is the second-youngest son of Jermaine Jackson, a former Jackson 5 member and brother of Michael.
The announcement was made by Fuqua on Instagram, who shared a photo of Jaafar Jackson wearing a costume and striking a pose reminiscent of the King of Pop. Check out the announcement and the photo above. Producer Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody) added in an official statement:
“I met Jaafar over two years ago and was blown away by the way he organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael. It was something so powerful that even after conducting a worldwide search, it was clear that he is the only person to take on this role. I am beyond thrilled that he has come on board to portray his uncle and cannot wait for the world to see him on the big screen as Michael Jackson.”
Everything We Know About The Michael Jackson Movie
Officially titled Michael, the upcoming Fuqua-directed Jackson movie is expected to chronicle the complicated legacy of the legendary pop star who passed away in 2009. According to Lionsgate, the studio behind Michael, the biopic will explore all aspects of the pop star's life, "including his most iconic performances that led him to become the greatest entertainer of all time.” Michael is written by John Logan, whose past credits include Gladiator, Skyfall, and Spectre.
Jaafar Jackson is now the first addition to the Michael cast, which comes after an exhaustive worldwide search for the right actor to play the King of Pop. This will be his first major acting role, though he comes highly recommended by Michael Jackson's own mother, Katherine, who promises that Jaafar embodies the spirit of her son and will carry on his legacy properly. Fuqua also sang Jaafar Jackson's praises, suggesting he will be the perfect performer for the role.
The movie is being made in collaboration with the Michael Jackson estate, which will heavily influence how the biopic handles the multiple child sexual abuse allegations against the late pop star. Jackson repeatedly denied the accusations and maintained his innocence throughout his life. In 2003, he was tried and found not guilty of child molestation, though the claims continue to shroud his legacy. It will be interesting to see how the project portrays the pop star's complicated legacy, especially as documentaries like HBO's Leaving Neverland dig deeper into the allegations after his death. With Jaafar Jackson now on board, Michael is scheduled to start filming this year.
Source: Antoine Fuqua/Instagram