LOS ANGELES, CA – Jaafar Jackson, the 29 year old nephew of Michael Jackson, has been cast to portray the late King of Pop in the upcoming biographical film titled “Michael.” The film is being directed by Antoine Fuqua, known for “Training Day” and “The Equalizer,” and written by John Logan, who wrote “Gladiator” and “Skyfall.”
The biopic is scheduled to cover Michael Jackson’s career from the Jackson 5 era in the 1960s through the “Bad” era in the 1980s. It is being produced by Graham King, whose previous credits include the Oscar winning Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The project has the support of the Jackson estate.
According to King, the casting decision was not based on Jaafar’s familial relationship alone. King told NME that after meeting with dozens of actors worldwide, Jaafar’s presence felt uniquely fitting. “It wasn’t about what he was saying or even his look. It was just a feeling of rightness that was so strong I couldn’t ignore it,” King said. He compared the experience to his earlier casting of Rami Malek for the role of Freddie Mercury, but described Jaafar’s audition as reaching “a whole new level” of spiritual resonance.
Jaafar Jackson is the son of Jermaine Jackson, a founding member and original lead vocalist of the Jackson 5, and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, a Colombian born fashion designer and UCLA graduate. Jermaine and Alejandra married in 1995 and divorced in 2008. Jaafar has one younger brother, Jermajesty, born in 2000. Before marrying Jermaine, Alejandra had two children with Jermaine’s brother Randy: a daughter, Genevieve, and a son, Randy Jr.
Lack of Formal Acting or Dance Training
Despite being cast in the lead role, Jaafar had no formal dance training or prior acting credits before this project. His only previous on camera appearance was a 2015 reality show episode titled “The Jacksons: Next Generation,” which followed his cousins Taj, Taryll, and TJ. King and casting director Kimberly Hardin conducted a worldwide search before deciding on Jaafar.
Jaafar confirmed that he rehearsed for three years, with two of those years dedicated to the audition process. He worked with Rich and Tone Talauega, former choreographers for Michael Jackson, to learn the signature dance moves. Rich Talauega commented that Jaafar’s talent is embedded in his Jackson family lineage. “He’s a Jackson, you know, he has this talent deep down inside his DNA,” Talauega said.
Jaafar began playing piano at age 12 and released his debut single, “Got Me Singing,” in 2019. His website lists musical influences including Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, and the musical heritage of his own family.
Vocal Performance in the Film
In a departure from recent biopic trends where actors sing live on set, Jaafar does not use his own voice in the musical scenes of “Michael.” According to Deadline’s chief film critic Pete Hammond, the songs featured in the movie are “gloriously remastered and superbly lip synched.”
Lionsgate is distributing the film. No official premiere date has been announced for general release. The production continues under the supervision of director Fuqua and producer Graham King.
