- Jaafar will play Michael Jackson in a biopic.
- Jaafar is Michael Jackson’s nephew.
- The biopic is Jaafar’s acting debut.
The Michael Jackson biopic is keeping it in the family. Jaafar Jackson will be playing his uncle in the upcoming Antoine Fuqua-directed movie. This will be Jaafar’s first major onscreen role.
So, who is Jaafar Jackson? Now that he will play the King of Pop, all eyes are on the 26-year-old. Here’s what you need to know about Jaafar.
1. Jaafar will play Michael Jackson in a new biopic.
Antoine Fuqua confirmed Jaafar’s casting on January 30. He posted a behind-the-scenes photo of Jaafar in rehearsals for the Michael Jackson biopic. “Proud to announce @jaafarjackson as Michael — the motion picture event that explores the journey of the man who became the King of Pop. Coming soon,” Antoine wrote on Instagram.
Jaafar shared the same photo on his Instagram and wrote, “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.”
Michael’s estate has given the rights to his musical catalog. The upcoming biopic will “not shy away from the controversies of Jackson’s life, the pedophile accusations that haunted his latest years up to his death in 2009 at age 50, from cardiac arrest caused by a cocktail of sedatives,” according to Deadline.
2. Jaafar is Jermaine Jackson’s son.
Jaafar is one of Jermaine’s 7 kids. Jaafar was born in 1996 to Jermaine, Michael’s older brother, and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza. Alejandra notably dated Jermaine’s younger brother, Randy, and also had two kids with him. Jermaine and Alejandra were married from 1995 to 2003.
3. Jaafar can sing and dance like his uncle.
Back in 2019, Jaafar released the music video for his song “Got Me Singing.” He proves that the Jackson family’s talents are still running in the family. Jaafar shows off his vocals and dancing skills in the music video. He started his music career at 12 years old and can play the piano, according to his IMDb profile.
4. The biopic will mark Jaafar’s acting debut.
Jaafar has appeared as himself in a number of family-oriented projects, including The Jacksons: Next Generation and Tito Jackson’s music video in 2021. Playing his uncle in the biopic will be his first onscreen role.
5. Jaafar initially wanted to be a professional golfer.
Before he started his music career, Jaafar had aspirations of being a professional golfer. However, after being surrounded by his talented family, he soon followed in his family’s footsteps and became an entertainer.