King of Pop Michael Jackson will be played by the late icon’s 26-year old nephew Jaafar Jackson in the Antoine Fuqua-directed film biopic for Lionsgate.
Fuqua has posted a confirmation on Instagram. The singer and songwriter is the son of Jermaine Jackson, who is the brother of Michael and member of The Jackson 5. Jaafar has been singing and dancing since age 12, and has showcased himself singing tunes from Sam Cooke to Marvin Gaye, along with originals.
Michael is being directed by Antoine Fuqua and the director is delighted to have Jackson’s nephew on board to portray his late uncle, in a film that is said to not only chart the highs of his glittering musical career, but also look into the controversies that followed the musician in his personal life, plus the circumstances that led to his untimely death in 2009.
Jaafar is a singer-songwriter in his own right and Fuqua had this to say regarding his new leading man: “It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life. 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.”
The lead actor of Michael received further praise from Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, who said, “Jaafar embodies my son. It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers.”
