The cast of the Michael Jackson biopic has big shoes to fill. In January 2023, it was announced that Lionsgate was working on a film about the King of Pop, which will simply be titled Michael. Starring as the late pop singer will be Jackson’s own nephew Jaafar Jackson, who is the son of Jermaine Jackson.
“It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life,” director Antoine Fuqua said in a statement to Variety. “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.”
Jaafar will be joined by a handful of other big stars for the upcoming film, including Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo and Miles Teller. Most recently, Lionsgate unveiled the first look at Jaafar in the film, and the resemblance to his uncle is uncanny. Here’s a look at the cast side by side the real people they’ll be playing.
Juliano Krue Valdi as Young Michael Jackson
In January 2024, Lionsgate announced that 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi will portray a young Jackson as the film covers his rise to fame with his brothers in the Jackson 5.
“If anything, 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,” Fuqua said of Valdi’s casting.
Michael will mark Valdi’s first feature film role following appearances on shows such as Bite Size Halloween and Face’s Music Party, per his IMDb.