One of the stars of the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Colman Domingo, is teasing what fans can expect not only from his performance in the movie, but from Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar, as well. Domingo stars as Joe Jackson in Michael, which is set to release next year from Lionsgate. Jaafar Jackson, son of Jermaine, will portray his uncle in the feature film, which will present an unfiltered look into the life of the King of Pop from his early years in the Jackson 5, all the way up until his death in 2009.
Sitting down with Discussing Film to promote his latest movie Sing Sing, Domingo touched briefly on the upcoming biopic in which he plays the patriarch of the Jackson family, saying that when it comes to Jaafar Jackson, fans can expect nothing less than a “dazzling” performance from the first-time actor.
They can expect a real dazzling performance from Jaafar Jackson, who embodies Michael with so much grace, with that same gift Michael had as an entertainer.
When it comes to his own performance as the head of the Jackson family, Domingo admits that the pop star’s father was a complicated individual, but the 54-year-old actor says that it’s his job to get the center of a person’s soul to help inform his acting choices, which he did for Michael.
“They can expect, from me, a complex depiction of Joe Jackson, who is a very polarizing character. But my job is to always take on a person’s heart and soul. So, for me, I want to show the heart and soul of Joe Jackson.”
Michael Will Pull No Punches With How It Portrays Jackson
Directed by Antoine Fuqua of Training Day and the Equalizer franchise fame, Michael certainly has a lot of buzz surrounding it thanks to a first-look photo of Jackson as his uncle that was shared earlier this year, leaving little doubt that the resemblance between the two is absolutely stunning. A behind-the-scenes video also shared on social media featured Jackson practicing his dance moves, further showcasing that the young performer seems to have what it takes to embody MJ.
Fuqua, who is directing Michael with the cooperation of the Jackson estate, says that he plans to pull no punches when it comes to telling the singer’s story. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly last year, he said that he wants his film to be an accurate portrayal of Jackson based on everything we know about him, and will look to show all sides of him. “Tell the facts as we know it,” he said. “About the artist, about the man, about the human being. You know, the good, bad, and the ugly.”
While there have been a couple of Lifetime dramatizations based solely on Jackson’s life over the years, this will be the first feature film about the controversial singer to ever hit theaters. In addition to Domingo and Jackson’s nephew, it also stars Miles Teller, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, and Jessica Sula. Look for Michael to premiere on April 18, 2025, from Lionsgate.
