Making $703 million dollars globally in less than a month of its release, “Michael” has set the record for the largest opening weekend for any biopic in US box office history with its $97.2 million dollar domestic launch. The biopic features Jafaar Jackson, son of Jermaine Jackson, an original member of the Jackson Five, playing his uncle Michael Jackson in the highly anticipated film.
The biopic focuses on the early life of Michael Jackson covering his time in the Jackson Five in the years between 1966 and 1988, and ending with his release of his third solo album, “Bad”. The film includes Jackson’s strict upbringing revealing his experience with emotional and physical abuse from his father, Joe Jackson. Along with the extraordinary childhood forced upon his youth when pushed to muscial perfection and fame at the young age of 5.
The film also captures Jackson’s jump into pursuing his solo career starting in 1978 with the process of making his first solo album, Off the Wall. From there the biopic ecompasses the immense global stardom followed by the process in creation of his iconic album, Thriller, while actively trying to detach from his father, and musical career with his brothers. With renacting the process of creating such iconic albums, comes renacting iconic performances. The biopic renacts renowned Motown 25 in 1983 where Jackson debuted hit song, “Billie Jean” on television, performing his signature moonwalk for the very first time.
Despite including monumental achievements made by Jackson, the film made sure to touch on personal struggles that many were unaware of. Jackson’s early stages of skin disorder, vitiligo were showcased, along with the production of the controversial Pepsi commerical leaving Jackson with second- and third-degree burns to his scalp and permanent hair loss.
Although telling Jackson’s story on the big screen was important, the journey and creative process behind bringing it to life was equally, if not more important. Former Producer of huge-hit biopic, Bohemiam Rapsody, Graham King, spent roughly seven years preparing for the film and interviewing hundreds of people before production began. Director Antoine Fuqua and King have expressed in numerous interviews how casting the film’s lead was the production’s biggest challenge. After searching through more than 200 actors worldwide to portray Michael Jackson, King had expressed that no one stood out more than Jaafar Jackson.
However, with no previous acting experience, Jaafar went through extensive acting lessons and rigorous dance training enabling him to prove his dedication and capability to mold himself into Michael Jackson.
“It was a multi-year process. It wasn’t just a traditional audition. I definitely had to earn the role for a two-year process, just to know I got the part,” said Jaafar Jackson in a recent interview on The Tonight Show.
With a budget of $200 million dollars and filming lasting a little over four months, Jafaar Jackson amazed audiences, cirtics, and even the Jackson family with his strikingly accurate portrayal of his uncle, Michael Jackson.
“I get so emotional, because he became Michael on that screen, and it brought tears to my eyes, I couldn’t believe it,” said Jackie Jackson, oldest brother of the Jacksons and original member of The Jackson Five.
More than retelling the legacy of a music icon’s rise to fame, the biopic has introduced a new generation to Jackson’s global impact and imprint left on the music industry, especially for black artists. Jaafar Jackson’s performance and the film’s great production has captured not only the artist seen on stage, but the person behind the spotlight.
Michael Jackson is now the first and only artist to score a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in six consecutive decades, and currently leads rankings among modern artists as the number one streaming artist globally across major streaming platforms.
