“It wasn’t just about the looks. There was such an intense feeling that it was impossible to ignore.”
Graham King, the producer of the movie ‘Michael’, is the Midas touch of music films, having opened a new chapter with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, the biopic of Queen’s Freddie Mercury. Before that film, actor Rami Malek was relatively unknown but skyrocketed to stardom, winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Freddie Mercury.
Now taking on the biopic of the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson, Graham King once again cast a wide net. He met nearly 200 actors from around the world. However, the person who caught his eye was not far away: Jafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew and the son of his brother Jermaine Jackson.
Recalling the day he first met Jafar Jackson, Graham King said, “It felt similar to when Rami Malek walked into my office and said, ‘I want to play Freddie Mercury,’ but this time it was on a different level. There is something spiritual about Jafar’s character, and just talking to him about Michael Jackson brought up overwhelming emotions. I reviewed nearly 200 actors worldwide, but no one surpassed Jafar.”
Jafar Jackson was born to Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza. Like his father and uncle, he is also a singer. He debuted with the 2019 single album ‘Got Me Singing’ and has released several albums since. However, he wasn’t as prominent a singer as his uncle or father.
He had zero acting experience and no formal dance training before joining ‘Michael’. Jafar spent about three years working to bring his uncle’s image to the screen. He learned the dance moves from his uncle’s hit songs from Rich+Tone Talauega, Michael Jackson’s former choreography team.
The dance practice took place in the dance room where Michael Jackson used to train. It is reportedly known that Jafar Jackson even slept in various rooms of Michael Jackson’s house to feel his uncle’s energy.
In an interview with an interview magazine, Jafar Jackson stated, “I wanted to dissect everything about my uncle. I wanted to dissect him like a scientist and apply it to myself, my acting, and my dancing. The rhythm was always there, but I didn’t know how to dance like Michael.”
The only way was practice. During his prime, Michael Jackson performed divine dances on stage wearing loafers with no friction. Jafar Jackson also practiced for several hours a day wearing loafers. At some point, the shape of his toes began to change and they started bleeding.
He put a tremendous amount of effort into the ‘Billie Jean’ performance, which is a highlight of the movie. Jafar Jackson cited this sequence as the most difficult yet most beloved scene. This scene recreates the 1983 TV special ‘Motown 25’ (a television special commemorating the 25th anniversary of Motown Records), which was the stage where Michael Jackson first showcased the legendary ‘Moonwalk’ dance.
Regarding dance and choreography, Jafar Jackson aimed to implement the performance style rather than just imitating his uncle. Especially for the ‘Billie Jean’ stage, he analyzed every movement frame by frame to perfectly recreate the actual performance. He said, “I wanted to not only perfectly execute every moment and every beat but also show the energy and showmanship contained in the movements.”
Reflecting on the experience of playing the ‘King of Pop’ and his uncle, Jafar Jackson said, “It was an experience that changed me into a better person. I lived in his shoes, felt the emotions he must have felt, and saw the world through new eyes, just as Michael Jackson did.”
He added, “I didn’t want to just mimic him or follow the form of the movements; I wanted to learn the meaning and essence behind those movements.” To achieve this, he studied Michael Jackson’s diaries, poems, and mantras. Jafar Jackson practiced his uncle’s voice and movements while posting positive words left by his uncle on walls and mirrors.
However, Jafar Jackson did not sing at all in ‘Michael’. He lip-synced to Michael Jackson’s hit songs used in the film. However, he put a lot of effort into mimicking Michael Jackson’s actual voice to reflect it in his acting. This proved to be a wise choice.
‘Michael’, which is receiving mixed reviews from critics and audiences, is also seeing divided opinions among Michael Jackson’s bereaved family. Michael Jackson’s eldest son, Prince Jackson, was deeply involved in the work, even participating as a producer, but his daughter Paris Jackson has expressed opposition to the direction of the film. The youngest sister, Janet Jackson, feels the same. Both Paris Jackson and Janet Jackson did not attend the premiere of the movie.
Still, it is hard to deny the effort Jafar Jackson put into bringing the ‘King of Pop’ to the screen. While Michael Jackson is an irreplaceable presence that no actor’s performance can fully substitute, watching the movie makes one admit that Jafar Jackson was the best choice. Although he may be somewhat lacking in terms of acting, his effort to recreate the appearance and performance deserves applause.
Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, also expressed satisfaction while watching her grandson’s performance on screen, saying, “Jafara looks exactly like my son. I am truly happy to see him carry on the legacy as an entertainer and performer of the Jackson family.”
