Meet Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's nephew starring in new biopic


The 29-year-old will portray his iconic uncle in the upcoming film Michael, which will be released in April 2026. Learn more about him and the movie.


Michael Jackson
Nova M BajamontiNews and Features Writer
November 6, 2025
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The trailer for Michael Jackson's upcoming biopic called Michael has been released and it showed the King of Pop's 29-year-old nephew portraying him for the first time. The movie is set to be released in April 2026 and the film's lead Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson provided a tease of the upcoming blockbuster, which was directed by Antoine Fuqua. Much like Michael, Jaafar is also a triple threat, and he's gearing up for his first lead role and his big break next year. Learn all about the rising star below. 

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Who is Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson?

Jaafar is Michael's nephew and Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza's son. Growing up, he dreamed of becoming a professional golfer, however being that he is part of the Jackson family, he grew in love with the world of entertainment. He first began performing at the age of 12 and is a dancer, singer, actor and pianist. 

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Jaafar's early career

In 2017 Jaafar made his stage debut alongside his father and brother Jermajesty, as they sang "The Christmas Son," at the MAX Proms in the Netherlands. His solo debut took place at the Dolby Theatre the following year. Jaafar also released his debut single in 2019, which was called "Got Me Singing." The young actor's first lead role and his biggest so far, will be his upcoming one in Michael.

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How does Michael's family feel about Jaafar portraying Michael?

Jaafar got the stamp of approval from Michael's mother and Katherine Jackson to portray his uncle in the film. Colman Domingo, who will portray Joe Jackson in the film, "briefly chatted" with Michael's kids Paris and Price about his role. He shared: "They're very much in support of our film," per People. Coleman also added that Paris has been "nothing but lovely and warm."

 
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How does Jaafar feel about portraying Michael?

Jaafar is ecstatic about the opportunity and shared how grateful he is for the major role on his social media. When he got the part, he wrote online: "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."

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What will the upcoming film Michael be about?

The film will not only celebrate Michael's legacy, but it will also showcase his childhood, early career moves, and of course, some of his most notorious performances and music videos. The movie's producers shared in a statement: "The film tells the story of Michael Jackson's life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world." The movie will also get personal and show what his life was like when the cameras weren't rolling. The statement continued: "Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins."

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What actors are starring in the upcoming film Michael?

Along with Colman portraying Joe, Nia Long will play Katherine Jackson, Kat Graham will portray Diana Ross and Miles Teller will play lawyer John Branca.

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