How Jaafar Jackson Landed His Biggest Hollywood Role With Will Smith – dw

Jaffer Jackson had never acted. He wanted to be a golfer, but after playing his uncle in a biopic, everything changed. His debut film became the highest grossing biopic in history, crossing $1 billion. Now, Will Smith personally texted him to star in his next movie. This is how a shy kid from the Jackson family landed Hollywood’s biggest opportunity.

We’re breaking down how Jaffer went from never acting to co-starring with Will Smith. If you love stories about transformation, subscribe. Announced that Jafar Jackson, um, who we know played Michael Jackson in the Michael Biopic. He is Michael Jackson’s ne nephew, uh, has a new role that he will be joining.

So, he’s going to be alongside Will Smith in the action thriller Supermax. Jaffer Jackson was born on July 25th, 1996. The son of Germaine Jackson. That made him the nephew of the king of pop. But he never dreamed of acting. He wanted to be a professional golfer. He was shy. He released a few singles, but his career was modest.

Then producer Graham King called to play cuz I want to be like Tiger Woods. You want to be like Tiger? But what is it that you love? Good. What makes it fun? Chipping and putting and driving. King searched for nearly 2 years to find someone to play Michael. He met nearly 200 actors.

Then he met Jaffer at lunch and Jaffer didn’t even know he was auditioning. He sent a voice note speaking in Michael’s voice. King called back immediately. The 2-year process began. A traditional process of auditioning. I I first got a call from Grant King, the producer. Oh, wow. And he first asked me like, “Have you ever acted before? Do you like acting?” And I told him, “Uh, I love films, but I never thought or dreamed of wanting to be an actor.

” And I I he was explaining the story of what he was going to tell about Michael. And the more he started to explain, I just saw him kind of looking at me. We were talking over Zoom. Then we end up having lunch and he was telling me about uh his interest in how my mannerisms are. And Jaffer didn’t just learn Michael’s moves.

He studied his journals and discovered his belief in manifestation. He sang in Michael’s voice. He danced until his feet bled. He told people, “I rehearsed until my feet would bleed.” His grandmother, Catherine, said there were moments she couldn’t tell if it was me or Michael. We rehearse for hours and hours upon hours until one single move was right, dancing until my feet would bleed or them go numb.

There’s so many times I would wake up sore like, should I go? The film opened to $217 million globally, breaking records for musical biopics. It surpassed Bohemian Raps City and Oppenheimer. Then it crossed $1 billion, becoming the first biopic to hit that milestone. Jaffer became the first lead actor whose debut film crossed $1 billion.

Is now official. The Michael movie has now become the highest grossing musical biopic of all time, beating Bohemian Raps in under two months. The critics arrived skeptical. Instead, they were stunned. Variety wrote that Jaffer nails the voice and vulnerability. The Telegraph India called his performance Oscar worthy.

Even critics who disliked the film admitted his performance was its greatest achievement. Thought Jafar was amazing. If that boy don’t get nominated Jackson the film holds a 40% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes but an audience score of 97%. Critics called it sanitized but audiences didn’t care.

They packed theaters anyway. It’s one of the largest gaps between critics and audiences in recent memory. Currently sitting at a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. And all I got to say is 95% came from 500 plus audience reviews in comparison to the so-called critic score of 38% which came from a little over a 100red reviews.

I mean what did you expect bro? Did you ser? The film ends with a title card. His story continues. A sequel is already in development to cover the dangerous and invincible eras. Director Antoine Fugqua has said he would return, saying, “It would kill me if somebody else did it.” This movie is just the beginning.

Wait, what? So, what will we see in the next phase of this Michael? Part two. Excited to see. There’s so much to tell Michael’s story. You can’t fit all into one movie. It’s possible to put it into two hours. So, I’m I’m definitely looking forward to to seeing uh what will come about in that way.

And me, too. And it’s definitely going to make it. Is that already done or you making it now? When what is the latest? It’s in the early development right now. Yeah. So, you’re ready. You still have to stay in Michael Mo. Yeah, that’s right. When Jaffer wrapped the biopic, he didn’t know what came next.

Then, Will Smith texted him directly. Smith shared the exchange, “Love what you do. You are the truth. I got this new movie, Supermax. We got a fun part for you.” Jaffer replied, “I’m my in. Jaffer’s next project is Supermax, an Amazon MGM action thriller with Will Smith and Anna Sophia Rob.

It’s directed by David Gordon Green. Halloween: The Exorcist. Two FBI agents investigate a murder in a maximum security prison. Jaffer’s role is pivotal to the plot. The film follows two FBI agents investigating a murder inside the world’s most secure prison. The prison is described as completely cut off from the outside world.

Jaffer’s character is said to be pivotal to the plot. Production begins in mid August in Sydney, Australia. Hollywood can’t stop because they haven’t gotten enough of Jafar Jackson. Jafar Jackson has just been cast in the film Supermax directed by David Gordon Green. Jafar joins the previously announced Will Smith and Anna Sophia Rob.

The details of his role are being kept under wraps, but it’s said to be pivotal to the film’s central plot, revolving around two FBI agents played by Will Smith and Anna Sophia Rob investigating a seemingly impossible murder within the impenetrable walls of a maximum security prison. This role proves Jaffer is not a one-hit wonder. He’s not being typ cast.

Entertainment Weekly called it his first post Michael role. RTBF noted he’s only 30 and has one film to his name, but he’s now in a major Amazon production. The industry is taking him seriously. This is your first movie role. You’re playing Michael Jackson. Okay. That’s as big That’s as big as you can uh probably pick for any uh character to portray in a film.

But also, this character that you’re playing, Michael Jackson, the one and only, happens to be your uncle. Playing Michael could have trapped him in his uncle’s shadow. But by choosing an action thriller with no singing, no dancing, he’s showing he’s a versatile actor. He told Coleman Domingo, “My mind and heart want to continue acting, to take on roles that no one expects from me.

” Some more. [laughter] What is he going to do? What roles? That’s That’s really where my my mind and heart is is to to continue acting to to portray characters that you would never expect from me. That’s something I I love that completely. Are there some Before the Fame, there was Mattie Simpson.

They’ve been together since 2016. She’s a singer and has been his biggest cheerleader. In 2025, he proposed with a yellow diamond. She wrote, “It’s been the honor of my life watching the person I love most shine his light. [singing] Sweet love. I didn’t mean it when I said I didn’t love you. I should have held on.

I never should have let you go. I didn’t know nothing. I was stupid. I was foolish. I was n to myself. Jaffer proposed to Maddie with a yellow diamond in 2025. They celebrated with a romantic dinner party surrounded by family. They’ve been spotted everywhere. Wimbledon, a yacht in Capri, the Japan premiere, and the Berlin premiere.

They made their red carpet debut in Berlin. I don’t care about one person’s approval meant more than any award. Catherine Jackson said publicly. Jaffer embodies my son. Jaffer said there were moments she couldn’t tell if it was me or Michael. He told Jimmy Kimmel, “My grandmother’s reaction was the most valuable.

I still get emotional. Hear the reaction after seeing the film, especially my What did she say? She said how excellent I did and how much I I embody Michael. And there were moments she couldn’t tell if it was me or or or Michael. That’s all I needed to hear. [laughter] Incredible. Growing up at Jackson meant growing up surrounded by drama.

His mother, Alejandra, was previously in a relationship with Randy Jackson before she married Germaine. Through both parents, Jaffer has 11 siblings. Despite the complexity, he’s maintained strong family relationships. [singing] Before Jaffer became a star, he was almost on a reality show.

In 2014, his family was set to star in Living with the Jacksons. A six episode season was filmed, but it never aired. He later appeared in the Jacksons Next Generation in 2015. Grandma’s here. We’re under pressure. 7 billion people [singing] in the world trying to fit in. Keep it together. In 2010, when Jaffer was 13, police investigated his family.

He had purchased a stun gun online. The family insisted it was an accident. He tested it on a piece of paper, but the incident made headlines. It was a reminder of the scrutiny that comes with being a Jackson. Do you punish your boys, sir? How do you punish your boys? Punish? Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, they did something wrong, such as the whole Shocker thing. Nothing wrong. He didn’t know. He didn’t know that he was getting a stun gun. Huh? It wasn’t a stun gun. Okay. See, this is your chance to clarify these false reports. You know, sir, what exactly was he buying? TNT is crazy. Is crazy. Love to say things that are not true.

Before acting, Jaffer tried to build a music career. He began performing at 12. He debuted with Got Me Singing in 2019. In 2021, he appeared in Tito Jackson’s Love One Another video, but labels turned him down because he sounded too much like his uncle. Don’t mind you. My heart is ready to fall. Record labels rejected Jaffer’s music because he sounded too much like his uncle.

The similarity that cost him a music career is the same quality that made him perfect for the biopic. He learned to breathe differently to match Michael’s higher register. Jaffer grew up speaking Spanish. His mother is Colombian American. He is fluent in Spanish, giving him access to a global audience. His performance has been praised across Latin America and Spain.

It sets him apart from other actors. Work on my Spanish. You know, I’m half Colombian. I Yeah, my mother’s my mother’s from Bogota. Well, you have homework. I have a lot of homework. Oh, yeah. With his new wealth, Jaffer is building a real estate portfolio. He owns a home in Los Angeles. He drives a Mercedes-Benz Gwagon and a Range Rover.

These are symbols of his rise from $500,000 to a Hollywood lifestyle. Before the biopic, Jaffer’s net worth was around $500,000. Analysts project it will surpass $1 million by the end of 2026 and could reach two to5 million within years. With a sequel and supermax, his earning potential is just beginning. Supermax is more than a movie.

It’s a statement. Jaffer is not just Michael’s nephew. He’s an actor who can hold his own alongside Will Smith. He’s choosing roles that challenge him. He’s building a career on his own terms. Jaffer Jackson is carrying the Jackson legacy into a new era. He’s not just Michael’s nephew.

He’s an actor building his own path. With a billion dollar film, a new action thriller, and a sequel in development, his future is brighter than ever, and he’s doing it while staying grounded with his fianceé by his side. If stories like this move you, consider subscribing. We dive deep into Hollywood’s untold stories every week. What should Jaffer do next? Drop in the comments.