Jaafar Jackson recalls childhood memories with uncle Michael Jackson ahead of biopic release

With Michael gearing up for its release later this month, Jaafar Jackson has opened up about what it means to step into the shoes of his late uncle, Michael Jackson, for the much-awaited biopic. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael is set to release on April 24. Ever since the first teasers dropped, Jaafar has been drawing attention for how closely he seems to channel the King of Pop, from his dance moves and voice to even Michael’s signature “hee-hee.”

Speaking in a recent interview on Today, Jaafar shared that landing the role was not something that came easy, even with the family connection. “It was a process that I really had to earn, and it really proved to the filmmakers and myself and my family that I can get to that point where I can pull it off,” he said.

Jaafar was only 12 when Michael Jackson passed away in 2009, but he still remembers the time they spent together as a family. “I remember just growing up, and we would have family time,” he recalled. “Michael would come over to where I was growing up ... and we’d have some some days where we’d all get together, play family game day.”

He also looked back fondly on his memories of visiting Neverland. “We’d have wonderful times at Neverland and just playing hide-and-go-seek, getting as much candy, going on rides, watching movies. It was all fun.” Talking about the pressure of playing someone as iconic as Michael Jackson, Jaafar admitted that the role comes with a big sense of responsibility. “There's definitely a responsibility that you feel going into something this big, and the scope, and to tell it in a cinematic way,” he said.

He added, “There's so many moments that I wanted to nail and make sure I had the true essence and that feeling. I had to feel it to make sure I believed in it, first.” Earlier, the makers of the film had described Michael as a deeper look into the singer’s life and rise to global fame.

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In a previous statement, the producers said, “The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.” They added, “Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.”

Apart from Jaafar in the lead role, the film also stars Colman Domingo as Michael’s father and Nia Long as his mother. The cast further includes Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, and Kat Graham in key roles.

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