Jaafar Jackson will play his uncle, Michael Jackson, in an upcoming biopic about the King of Pop.
The pop superstar is recognised as one of the best and most influential artists of all time, but his entire life has been marred by controversy. Over the past decade, several men have come forward with allegations that Jackson sexually assaulted them as boys.
It is those allegations that have led many to believe that a tell-all biopic might not happen, but a Lionsgate press release confirmed that the movie will address "all aspects" of Jackson's life, while Antoine Fuqua was also announced as the director.
A week or so later, it was confirmed that Jaafar Jackson will be portraying his uncle.
Jaafar took to Instagram to comment on the news, while he uploaded a picture of himself dancing in rehearsal.
"I'm humbled and honoured to bring my Uncle Michael's story to life. To all the fans all over the world, I'll see you soon," he wrote.
Fuque believes that Jaafar is the perfect choice to play Michael.
"It's incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life," the director commented.
"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 is the son of Michael's brother, Jermaine.
Fuqua wants to tell Michael Jackson's story
Shortly after being announced as director, Fuqua said:
"The first films of my career were music videos, and I still feel that combining film and music are a deep part of who I am.
"For me, there is no artist with the power, the charisma, and the sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson. I was influenced to make music videos by watching his work - the first Black artist to play in heavy rotation on MTV. His music and those images are part of my worldview, and the chance to tell his story on the screen alongside his music was irresistible."
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