Making a biopic about the most famous person to ever walk the earth is, honestly, a terrifying gamble. You can’t just hire a "good" actor. You need someone who can vibrate at the same frequency as a guy who redefined gravity. For the upcoming 2026 film Michael, director Antoine Fuqua and producer Graham King (the guy behind Bohemian Rhapsody) didn't just look for a lookalike. They looked for DNA.
Literally.
The michael jackson movie cast is led by Jaafar Jackson. If that last name sounds familiar, it should. He is Michael’s nephew, the son of Jermaine Jackson.
When the first set photos leaked, the internet basically had a collective heart attack. It wasn't just the wig or the iconic aviator sunglasses. It was the stance. The jawline. People keep saying "it’s uncanny," but that feels like an understatement. It’s a bit eerie.
The Heavy Hitters Behind the King
The casting of Jaafar was the biggest hurdle, sure, but a movie like this lives or dies on the people surrounding the star. You can't tell Michael's story without the complicated, often painful shadow of Joe Jackson.
Colman Domingo is stepping into those shoes.
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Domingo is fresh off an Oscar nomination for Rustin and he’s arguably one of the best actors working today. He isn't playing Joe as a mustache-twirling villain. From what we know, he’s aiming for something more human—a man who was a husband, a manager, and a father, but also the architect of a childhood that was both brilliant and brutal. It’s a "flawed" character, as Domingo put it himself, and seeing him go toe-to-toe with his real-life "nephew" on screen is going to be intense.
Then there is Nia Long. She plays Katherine Jackson, the family's soft-spoken but iron-willed matriarch.
While Joe was the engine, Katherine was the soul. Long is an industry veteran who knows how to play resilience. In a story filled with tabloid chaos and stadium-sized fame, the relationship between Katherine and Michael is the emotional tether. If that doesn't land, the movie is just a series of music videos.
Why Miles Teller is the Wild Card
One of the more surprising additions to the michael jackson movie cast is Miles Teller. He’s playing John Branca.
If you aren't a music industry nerd, you might not know the name. Branca was Michael's lawyer and manager for decades. He’s the guy who helped navigate the Thriller era and basically built the business empire.
Teller is great at playing "competent guys with an edge." He recently addressed the "wig discourse" online—yeah, people were obsessing over his hair in the set photos—by basically saying he’s not online enough to care. He’s focused on the transformation. Having a powerhouse like Teller in a supporting role suggests the film is going to spend a lot of time on the legal and business battles that defined MJ’s later years.
Recreating the Jackson 5
You can't have a biopic without the brothers. The production had to cast two versions of every Jackson brother: the kids and the adults.
For the "Young Michael" era, they found Juliano Krue Valdi. The kid is nine years old and already a viral sensation for his dance moves. Antoine Fuqua said finding a kid who could actually dance like Michael was harder than finding the adult lead.
The rest of the Jackson 5 ensemble includes:
- Jamal R. Henderson (and Jayden Harville) as Jermaine Jackson.
- Tre Horton (and Jaylen Lyndon Hunter) as Marlon Jackson.
- Rhyan Hill (and Judah Edwards) as Tito Jackson.
- Joseph David-Jones (and Nathaniel Logan McIntyre) as Jackie Jackson.
It’s worth noting that Jaylen Lyndon Hunter, who plays young Marlon, actually played that same role on Broadway in MJ: The Musical. The production is clearly pulling from people who already have the moves in their muscle memory.
The Motown Icons and The Legal Team
The world around the Jacksons is just as crowded with legends.
Larenz Tate is playing Berry Gordy. Tate has done the biopic thing before (he played Quincy Jones in Ray), so he knows how to carry that weight. Speaking of Quincy, Kendrick Sampson from Insecure is taking on the role of the legendary producer.
Wait, there’s more.
- Kat Graham as Diana Ross (Michael's lifelong mentor).
- Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe (the woman who actually discovered the Jackson 5).
- Liv Symone as Gladys Knight.
- Derek Luke as Johnnie Cochran (yes, the lawyer from the 1993 case).
Seeing Johnnie Cochran on the list tells you everything you need to know about the film's scope. This isn't a "fluff piece." It’s diving into the 1993 allegations and the legal firestorms.
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The Realistic Timeline
Look, movies get delayed. Originally, we were supposed to see this in 2025. Now, the official release date is set for April 24, 2026.
Lionsgate pushed it back because they wanted to move it into "awards season" territory. They’re confident. There were also rumors about the movie being split into two parts because Michael’s life is simply too big for three hours. While that hasn't been officially confirmed as the final plan, the sheer amount of ground they’re covering—from the Gary, Indiana days to the final rehearsals for This Is It—makes a two-part epic feel plausible.
What This Cast Tells Us About the Movie
Most biopics feel like a Wikipedia page come to life. This feels different because of the involvement of the Estate and the choice of director. Antoine Fuqua usually does gritty, high-stakes action (Training Day, The Equalizer). He isn't a "musical" guy.
The fact that they cast Derek Luke as Johnnie Cochran and KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Bill Bray (Michael's longtime bodyguard and only real friend) suggests we’re getting an "insider" view.
It’s going to be a heavy film.
You have Jaafar Jackson, who looks so much like his uncle it's distracting, surrounded by Oscar-caliber actors like Colman Domingo. The goal isn't just to mimic the moonwalk; it's to explain the man behind the mask.
Next Steps for Fans:
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- Watch the leaks: Search for the "Jaafar Jackson Thriller" set videos. The way he moves in the red jacket is virtually identical to the 1983 original.
- Check out the brothers: Look up Juliano Krue Valdi on Instagram to see the kid’s footwork; it’ll give you a sense of how the early Motown scenes will look.
- Mark the calendar: April 24, 2026, is the date. Given the buzz, expect a full-length trailer to drop by late 2025.
The michael jackson movie cast is a mix of family legacy and Hollywood muscle. It’s a massive undertaking, and honestly, the pressure on Jaafar must be immense. But if he pulls it off, this won't just be a movie—it'll be a cultural event.