A Michael Jackson biopic is on its way to the big screen, and so is Jaafar Jackson, the young star poised to bring the King of Pop back to life. 

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Officially titled Michael, the feature film will delve into “the complicated man who became the King of Pop,” Lionsgate said, according to Reuters. The film is said to include “all aspects” of the singer’s life, but since it shares an umbilical cord with Michael’s estate, its yet to be determined how sensitive topics such as Michael’s sexual assault allegations will be handled, although its safe to say the narrative will be colored by the association.

Michael will be directed by Antoine Fuqua (Emancipation). It will be produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody) as well as John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of Michael Jackson’s estate. The film will be penned by John Logan (The Aviator). 

Despite the impressive and noteworthy stack of filmmakers associated with Michael, the movie will be the first major actor role for its leading man Jaafar Jackson. At just 26 years old, he now stands on arguably the largest launchpad of his career. He may be new on the scene, but do we know anything about him at the moment?

Who is Jaafar Jackson?

It goes without saying that in order to embody a musical icon like Michael Jackson, the actor who plays him must fully immerse himself in the role. Maybe not to the extent of Austin Butler, who famously held onto his Elvis mannerisms long after playing the King of Rock and Roll, but to a similar extent, to be sure. Thankfully for Jaafar Jackson, the task should be a smidge easier than, say, someone who isn’t related to the character they’re playing. 

That’s right – Jaafar Jackson is Michael Jackson’s nephew. Jaafar’s father is Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s older brother. This means two of his aunts are fellow musical legends LaToya Jackson and Janet Jackson.

Jaafar was born on July 25, 1996, a month before Michael Jackson famously finalized his divorce from Elvis Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. Jaafar’s mother is Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, who married Jermaine in 1995. She also shares two kids with Michael Jackson’s other brother Randy Jackson. 

Like his uncle, Jaafar is a singer. He’s been singing and dancing since the age of 12, according to Deadline. While his singing voice is distinctly his own, if you close your eyes and listen carefully you will clearly hear in his inflections and tone an uncanny resemblance to Michael. 

Despite being Michael’s nephew, Jaafar’s journey to playing his uncle on the big screen was not necessarily handed to him on a silver platter (perhaps maybe just a bronze one.) According to the film’s producer Graham King, a fishing net was cast all across the globe to find the perfect Michael, according to Variety.

“I met Jaafar over two years ago and was blown away by the way he organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael. It was something so powerful that even after conducting a worldwide search, it was clear that he is the only person to take on this role. I am beyond thrilled that he has come on board to portray his uncle and cannot wait for the world to see him on the big screen as Michael Jackson.”

Jaafar already has the approval of Michael Jackson’s mom – his grandmother – Katherine Jackson, who told Variety, “Jaafar embodies my son. It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers.”

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Jaafar’s social media presence was wiped clean following the announcement of the biopic. In his first post following the news, he shared a black-and-white photo of himself in a black fedora, holding a signature Michael Jackson pose. He wrote in the caption, “I’m humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life. To all the fans all over the world, I’ll see you soon.”