Michael Jackson will be played by his nephew Jaafar Jackson in a biopic directed by “Training Day” filmmaker Antoine Fuqua.
“Proud to announce @jaafarjackson as Michael – the motion picture event that explores the journey of the man who became the King of Pop,” Fuqua announced on Instagram. “Coming soon.”
Jaafar Jackson in 2014 left, and Michael Jackson in 1987. Associated Press file
Jackson is the 26-year-old son of Jackson 5 bassist and singer Jermaine Jackson, one of the King of Pop’s older brothers. Jaafar Jackson confirmed Fuqua’s post on Instagram, adding, “I’m humbled and honored to bring my uncle Michael’s story to life,” and promising fans, “I’ll see you soon.”
Michael Jackson was one of the most celebrated and controversial artists of all time when he died in 2009 at 50 years old from acute intoxication of propofol. An autopsy revealed he was otherwise healthy.
Known for more than four decades as a dazzling performer responsible for hit tunes including “Beat It,” “Rock With You” and “Thriller,” Michael Jackson won countless awards and was honored by presidents. His legacy is also dogged by controversy involving allegations of child sex abuse made in the 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland,” which his estate called “another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson.”
It’s unclear how Fuqua will approach those controversies in “Michael,” which has rights to the singer’s music catalog, according to Deadline.
Like his uncle, the film’s star reportedly began performing at a young age. Deadline reports Jaafar Jackson began singing and dancing at 12 years old. He appeared on “Oprah Behind the Scenes” in 2011, according to IMDb, which also credits him with a 2015 appearance on the reality TV show “The Jacksons: Next Generation.”
Jermaine Jackson’s unverified Twitter account congratulated the 68-year-old performer’s son for his “first footprint in the music industry” when Jackson released his first single, “Got Me Singing,” in June 2019. That same Twitter feed blasted “Leaving Neverland” as “uninterested in facts” a few months earlier.
“Let this man rest,” he told a British talk show in 2019.
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