It appears the question of who would land the lead role in Antoine Fuqua’s recently announced Michael Jackson biopic, simply titled “Michael,” isn’t a mystery anymore. Not only that, the filmmaker didn’t have to look too far to find his star, as Michael Jackson’s nephew landed the job.
According to Lionsgate, Jaafar Jackson is set to play Michael Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s “Michael,” which is expected to begin production soon. Yes, as the last name implies, Jaafar Jackson is related to Michael, as the King of Pop is the actor’s uncle. And as you might expect, there are definitely strong genes in that family and Jaafar Jackson bears a striking resemblance to his late uncle.
“It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life,” said Fuqua. “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.”
Katherine Jackson, Michael Jackson’s mother, added, “Jaafar embodies my son. It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers.”
“Michael” is produced by Graham King, the man behind “Bohemian Rhapsody” and written by John Logan. The film is expected to cover Michael Jackson’s early life and his rise to King of Pop status and one of the most iconic performers to have ever lived.
What isn’t fully known, at this time, is just how deep the biopic will go into the performer’s later career and his controversies, including various accusations of sexual assault and his tragic death due to a propofol overdose. If King’s previous film, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is any indication, combined with just how closely the Jackson Estate is working on the film, we can probably expect the film to focus on the good parts of his life and leave the controversies to mere mentions, if at all.
No release date is set for “Michael,” but filming is expected to begin soon. Here’s a peek at what seems to be some rehearsal work for the film (via Instagram):
