Antoine Fuqua
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Source: Kevin Mazur / Lionsgate
The first look at the film covering the life of Michael Jackson was released, featuring his nephew in a recreation of one of the star’s iconic looks.
On Tuesday (February 13), the team behind a highly-anticipated biographical film about the legendary singer Michael Jackson released the first official photograph which has everyone buzzing. The King of Pop is being portrayed by his nephew, Jafaar Jackson in the biopic, entitled Michael. The photo, taken by photographer Kevin Mazur, shows Jaffar wearing his uncle’s signature “Man In The Mirror” outfit which he sported during his Dangerous Tour which ran from 1991-1992.
“When I arrived for my first day on the set of this movie, I was so excited – it was like the first time I went on tour to shoot Michael Jackson,” Mazur said in a statement accompanying the first-look photo. “When I walked onto the set, I felt like I’d gone back in time and I was walking into the stadium to shoot the tour. Seeing Jafaar perform, I thought, ‘Wow, it is Michael.’ The way he looks and acts, his mannerisms, everything — he’s Michael Jackson. For anyone who didn’t have the chance to see Michael perform live during his lifetime — this is how it was.”
“With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael,” said producer Graham King in a statement. “He embodies Michael in a way that no other actor could.” Michael is being produced by the co-executors of the estate of Michael Jackson and King along with Jackson’s former lawyer John Branca, and John McClain in conjunction with Lionsgate Entertainment.
Michael had been gaining attraction already due to the cast, which brought on Jafaar to play Michael as an adult (Jafaar is the son of Jermaine Jackson) in addition to Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo as father Joe Jackson, Nia Long as mother Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller as Branca, and Juliano Krue Valdi as young Michael. “We have assembled an incredible team of artists for this project – hair and makeup, costumes, cinematography, choreography, lighting, everything – and some who knew and worked with Michael are reuniting for this film. But most importantly, it’s Jaafar who embodies Michael. It goes beyond the physical resemblance. It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way. You have to experience it to believe it,” director Antoine Fuqua said in a statement.
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Source: Mat Hayward / Getty / Colman Domingo
Colman Domingo is collecting roles like Infinity Stones, and WE LOVE TO SEE IT.
Following the news, he earned his first Oscar nomination for his inspiring performance in the Netflix film Rustin; Colman Domingo has been cast in Antoine Fuqua’s (The Equalizer) upcoming Michael Jackson biopic as the late iconic pop star’s father, Joe Jackson.
The news of Domingo joining the film’s cast comes after the announcement that Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar, will play the “Billie Jean” crafter and 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi, portraying the King of Pop in his early years.
Speaking exclusively with Variety, The Color Purple star spoke about joining the cast of the Michael Jackson film.
“It’s exciting to do it with Jaafar,” Domingo said. “Jermaine Jackson’s son is playing Michael, and he is breathtaking, and I think Graham King, the producer, has assembled an incredible cast.”
In a statement announcing his addition to the cast, he added, “I’m excited to be a part of a film that explores both the complicated soul of the legendary Michael Jackson as well as his impact on music and culture as a global icon. Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex, and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front-row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation.”
Domingo Is The Perfect Man For The Role
Now, if you are one of the rare people wondering if Domingo is the right actor for the job, look no further than his still-growing and very impressive resume.
Domingo is no stranger to playing complex figures like Joe Jackson and has a knack for portraying them in a way where, while you will have some disdain for them, you will still walk away with a better appreciation and understanding of them.
Look no further than his portrayal of Albert “Mister” Johnson in The Color Purple, who is easily one of the most despised characters in the Alice Walker novel.
Speaking with CassiusLife’s Bernard “Beanz” Smalls, he spoke on the role, saying, “When you’re watching him, you can’t just villainize him. You have to, in a strange way, find ways to have empathy for the character, and that makes it more human.”
That wasn’t the only big announcement; Colman will also star as Nat King Cole in an upcoming biopic that he will also be directing.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, are giving Domingo his things and reacting to the news.
You can see the reactions in the gallery below.
1. Yes. He. IS
2. Indeed he is
4. Accurate
Just one week after confirming an April 18, 2025, release for the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, the creators behind the film have cast their young King of Pop.
Nine-year-old actor Juliano Krue Valdi will portray Michael Jackson during his formative years in the Jackson 5 — the legendary family band behind such timeless hits as “I’ll Be There,” “ABC” and “I Want You Back.” Valdi is well-known across social media for his Michael Jackson impersonations, with videos of him flawlessly executing the moonwalk garnering thousands of likes and views. He joins Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, who is set to play the older version of the late music icon.
“This opportunity is really important to me because Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, and he is very special in my heart. I’ve been dancing to his songs for five years now,” Valdi said in a statement. “He makes me feel really special and makes me feel good about myself. I love the energy of Michael Jackson.”
Titled Michael, the forthcoming biopic will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, the filmmaker behind 2001’s Oscar-winning Training Day and 2022’s Will Smith-starring Emancipation. In a statement regarding Valdi’s casting, Fuqua said: “Casting the role of the young Michael was more difficult than casting the adult role, because where do you find a child actor with the chops of the greatest entertainer who ever lived? In the end, that was our focus — talent — and we looked far and wide for an actor who could embody Michael’s spirit through his voice, his charisma, and his dance skills. Juliano’s undeniable, raw talent put him at the top of our list.”
Michael also features a slew of accomplished producers, including Graham King of the Oscar-winning Bohemian Rhapsody and John Branca and Jon McClain, co-executors of Jackson’s estate. John Logan, a Tony winner and three-time Oscar nominee, wrote the script. Michael is set to survey Jackson’s life and historic four-decade career. Principal photography begins next week (Jan. 22).
Michael Jackson is one of the most successful artists of all time. As a soloist, he earned 13 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, including “Billie Jean” (seven weeks), “Rock With You” (four weeks) and “Black or White” (seven weeks). Over on the Billboard 200, the music legend score six No. 1 albums, including 1982’s Thriller (37 weeks), 1987’s Bad (six weeks) and 1991’s Dangerous (four weeks).
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Source: Variety / Getty
Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua are once again teaming up to give movie lovers something to remember. But this time, the legendary actor will be handing out fades in ancient times as the revered director is looking to the past for his latest epic, which will premier on Netflix.
According to Variety, Washington and Fuqua are set to tackle the legend of the ancient Carthaginian general known as Hannibal, who took on the Roman Republic during the second Punic War in 218 B.C. Known as one of the greatest generals in military history, Hannibal was as much a warrior as he was a strategic mastermind and went on to conquer many Italian cities during his historic battle with the Roman Republic. Sounds like a winner already.
Variety Reports:
Hannibal invaded Italy while riding a Northern African war elephant. Under his lead, the Carthaginians won key victories against the Romans, allowing Hannibal to occupy the majority of southern Italy for 15 years. Eventually, Hannibal was defeated by the Romans at the Battle of Zama after they counter-invaded North Africa.
Washington produces the film alongside Erik Olsen, Adam Goldworm and Fuqua via his Hill District Media’s first-look deal with Netflix.
Though the film is still untitled, it will be written by the three-time Academy Award winner John Logan, who penned classics such as Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator and Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. In short, Denzel and Antoine are going for the Oscar gold with this latest project, and we can’t wait to see what they cook up when it’s all said and done.
No word on when production is set to start or when the film is expected to release, but best believe we’ll be patiently waiting with the popcorn for this to hit Netflix sometime in the future.
Will you be looking forward to Denzel Washington conquering his foes during the B.C. era? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Jaafar Jackson, born into music royalty as the son of Jermaine Jackson, will soon step into the role of his iconic uncle, Michael Jackson. The 26-year-old performer has plenty of experience as a singer and dancer and will bring that talent to the screen in the upcoming biopic, Michael.
As exclusively reported by Deadline, Jaafar Jackson will play the late, great King Of Pop in the Antonie Fuqua biopic, currently under development by Lionsgate. Jaafar’s father, Jermaine, was a member of The Jackson 5 along with Jaafar’s influential uncle and has been singing and dancing since the age of 12 according to the outlet. With Fuqua in the director’s chair, the script comes from Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan, who also won a Tony Award for the play Red.
Deadline adds that production on Michael will begin later this year as Fuqua wraps the filming of The Equalizer 3 with Denzel Washington.
Jackson shared the news of him playing his uncle with a photo showing him practicing some of those famous MJ moves.
“I’m humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life. To all the fans all over the world, I’ll see you soon,” Jaafar wrote in the caption to the post on Monday (Jan. 30).
Michael does not have a release date yet.
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Photo: Gabriel Olsen / Getty
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