As the release of the Michael Jackson biopic draws closer, one thing is clear: star Jaafar Jackson, the King of Pop’s nephew, certainly put in a lot of work.
Speaking with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show on Thursday (April 2), Jackson, who plays his late uncle in the Antoine Fuqua-directed Michael, looked back on first learning he was being offered the role. As he explained to Fallon and the audience, he had “never wanted to be an actor” prior to getting involved with this project, though he “grew up loving” his uncle’s music.
“Fast-forward to six months in, [Bohemian Rhapsody and Micheal producer Graham King] got me a coach. … It was a multi-year process,” Jackson said. “It wasn't just a traditional audition. I definitely had to earn the role.”
Once the part was officially his, additional work began, including with choreography duo Rich + Tone and makeup artist Bill Corso. Seeing himself transformed into MJ, Jackson recalled, was both a “surreal” and “spiritual” moment for him.
“It was emotional,” he said, adding that the very first day of production on the film required him to shoot scenes tied to MJ’s Bad-focused tour in the late ‘80s.
“They threw me right in the deep end,” Jackson noted. “We did all the performances the first two weeks of shooting.”
The interview closed with a new clip from the film, which also stars Colman Domingo and Nia Long. In it, Jackson is seen hitting the moonwalk dance during an iconic performance of Thriller single “Billie Jean” at a Motown anniversary special circa 1983.
Michael is in theaters on April 24. Ahead of the release, Complex is presenting a special pop-up gallery in New York through April 5. Fans can expect costumes, props, photo ops, and more at the 620 Broadway space. See here for the full rundown.
