In 2020, producer Graham King called Jaafar Jackson and asked for a Zoom meeting. Jaafar had a good idea of what that call was about. What he didn’t realize was that this conversation would shape the next six years of his life and demand from him something most actors are never asked to give up: himself.
Jaafar had no prior acting experience. He lacked film credits, drama school training, and any roadmap for portraying someone who is already a global icon. He sent King a voice note of him speaking as Michael, and King immediately called back.
WHAT FOLLOWED WAS TWO YEARS OF PREPARATION BEFORE ANY CAMERAS STARTED ROLLING.
During this time, he immersed himself in Michael’s personal journals, poems, and private affirmations. He put those same affirmations on his own walls and mirrors throughout rehearsals.
Jaafar Jackson Reveals the Most Challenging Michael Performance to Recreate:
He sifted through decades of archival footage to absorb not just the iconic moments but the subtleties of Michael’s everyday life. He studied the pauses between his words, how his body shifted as music began, and the differences in his performances for large audiences versus intimate interviews.
HE WASN’T JUST LEARNING TO IMPERSONATE A POP STAR; HE WAS LEARNING TO THINK LIKE ONE.
Rehearsals stretched up to fourteen hours a day. The makeup process alone required hours each morning—a slow, transformative experience that Jaafar described as both surreal and spiritual. He noted that witnessing himself morph into Michael was emotional each time.
Jaafar Sacrificed Himself in Preparation for the Role
The Hollywood Reporter praised his performance as convincing, while The Credits called it flawless. One insider who viewed early footage simply remarked:
“THIS KID IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME IN THE MOVIE.”
Critics are divided on the film as a whole, but there is near-unanimous agreement on Jaafar’s performance. He knew from the start that every frame would be compared to the real Michael Jackson. Yet, he took on the challenge and truly nailed it.
