They are as alike as two drops of water.
Jaafar, Michael Jackson's nephew, is preparing to play his uncle in the biopic
Michael,
by Antoine Fuqua.
A first photo of the young man, dressed as the king of pop and immortalized by Kevin Mazur, was unveiled this Tuesday, February 13 by the production of the feature film.
In this image, the 27-year-old actor sports a hairstyle and outfit - a white shirt over a V-neck t-shirt, a low ponytail and black pants - similar to those worn by the singer in the 1990s. The film will also be released in April 2025, as announced in a press release.
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A message in which the film team highlights the striking similarities between Jaafar and Michael Jackson.
“With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move matches Michael's,” said producer Graham King.
No other actor could play Michael in this way.
A point of view shared by filmmaker Antoine Fuqua.
“It goes beyond physical resemblance,” he said.
It is Michael's spirit manifesting itself in a magical way.
You have to experience it to believe it.”
In January 2023, after the film was announced, Jaafar said he was "honored to be able to bring to life" his uncle's story.
Also read: Jaafar Jackson will play his uncle, Michael Jackson, in a promising biopic
Music as a legacy
Born in 1996, the actor is one of the seven children of Jermaine Jackson, one of Michael's older brothers.
Passionate about music, he has been singing and playing the piano since the age of 12, we read in the American press.
In 2019, he released his first single:
Got Me Singing
.
“Jaafar plays my son,” rejoiced Katherine Jackson, Michael’s mother, quoted in the columns of the American media
The Hollywood
Reporter
.
It’s wonderful to see him continue our legacy as artists and performers.”
The film's screenplay is by John Logan, to whom we owe films like
Gladiator
(2000),
Skyfall
(2012) and
Specter
(2015).
According to the production company Lionsgate, the film should cover all aspects of the life of the “
King of Pop
”.
It remains to be seen how the film team will evoke the dark corners of his existence, starting with the accusations of pedophilia to which the singer was the subject, with the Jackson family so invested in the project.