Michael Jackson's nephew will play the King of Pop in an upcoming biopic!

Los Angeles, California - Michael Jackson will be played by his nephew Jaafar Jackson in a biopic directed by Training Day filmmaker Antoine Fuqua.

Jaafar Jackson, seen here with his aunt La Toya Jackson, is set to play Michael Jackson in an upcoming biopic.
Jaafar Jackson, seen here with his aunt La Toya Jackson, is set to play Michael Jackson in an upcoming biopic.  © GABRIEL OLSEN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

"Proud to announce @jaafarjackson as Michael – the motion picture event that explores the journey of the man who became the King of Pop," Fuqua announced on Instagram.

Jaafar Jackson is the 26-year-old son of Jackson 5 bassist and singer Jermaine Jackson, one of the King of Pop’s older brothers. Jaafar Jackson confirmed Fuqua’s post on Instagram, adding, "I’m humbled and honored to bring my uncle Michael’s story to life," and promising fans, "I’ll see you soon."

Michael Jackson was one of the most celebrated and controversial artists of all time when he died in 2009 at 50 years old from acute intoxication of propofol. An autopsy revealed he was otherwise healthy.

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But his legacy has since been overshadowed by controversy involving allegations of child sex abuse made in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which his estate called "another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson."

It’s unclear how Fuqua will approach those controversies in Michael, which has rights to the singer’s music catalog, according to Deadline.

Jaafar Jackson's rise and rise

Like his uncle, Jaafar reportedly began performing at a young age.

Per Deadline, he started singing and dancing at 12 years old and also appeared on Oprah Behind the Scenes in 2011, according to IMDb, which also credits him with a 2015 appearance on reality TV show The Jacksons: Next Generation.

Jermaine Jackson’s unverified Twitter account congratulated the 68-year-old performer’s son for his "first footprint in the music industry" when Jaafar released his first single, Got Me Singing, in June 2019.

That same Twitter feed blasted Leaving Neverland as "uninterested in facts" a few months earlier.

Cover photo: GABRIEL OLSEN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

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