It’s about damn time!
After musical biopics about everyone from Johnny Cash to Whitney Houston, Hollywood has finally decided to give the greatest entertainer of all time, Michael Jackson, the musical biography treatment. Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer, Training Day) is set to direct Michael, which “explores the journey of the man who became the King of Pop,” the filmmaker said on Instagram.
Obviously, when we heard there was going to be a Michael Jackson movie, our first question was ‘Who’s going to play MJ?’ Turns out, Fuqua, producer Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody) and the Michael Jackson Estate didn’t need to look far for the film’s star.
According to Variety, Michael’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, has been tapped to star in as his superstar uncle. Jaafar is the second-youngest son of Jermaine Jackson. King said there was a worldwide search to find the perfect actor. That may be true, but it seems a little weird that a global search somehow led back to a member of the family.
“I met Jaafar over two years ago and was blown away by the way he organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael,” King said. “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.”
With the family set to be involved in the making of the movie, I don’t expect it to tackle some of the more controversial aspects of the singer’s life. Despite being one of the most famous families in entertainment, the Jacksons are notoriously secretive. With that in mind, it makes sense that they wouldn’t necessarily want to invite an outsider into the fold. However, Jaafar doesn’t have any film credits, and this seems like a big mountain to climb the first time out of the gate. Even with his lack of experience, the young actor has the support of the people who knew Michael the best.
“Jaafar embodies my son,” Michael’s mother, Katherine Jackson said. “It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers.”
Prolific director Fuqua expressed how impressed he was with Jaafar’s performance as Michael and his work in front of the camera.
“It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life,” Fuqua said. “There was such a spiritual connection when I first met Jaafar, who has a natural ability to emulate Michael and such a great chemistry with the camera.”
No other details about the film have been released yet, but Michael is expected to begin shooting this year.