The Boy Who Played Young Michael Jackson Is About to Become a Global Star… – dw

For millions of people, he was simply the boy who brought a young Michael Jackson back to life. But behind that performance was a 12-year-old actor whose career was only beginning. Juliano Valdi didn’t just inherit the impossible task of portraying one of the most recognizable performers in history. He suddenly found himself standing in front of a global audience, carrying the expectations of Michael Jackson’s family, fans, and an entire generation that already knew exactly what Michael looked like, sounded like, and moved

like. And then something unexpected happened. People didn’t just start talking about Michael Jackson anymore. They started talking about the boy playing him. Now, with the film reaching an even wider audience and Juliano continuing to build a career beyond Michael, one question is becoming impossible to ignore.

Was playing young Michael Jackson the role that made Juliano famous or the role that introduced the world to its next young star? Juliano Crew Valdi was just 9 years old when he was cast as young Michael Jackson. He had already amassed nearly 150,000 followers on Instagram by posting videos of himself dancing to Michael Jackson songs.

He was a super fan who never imagined he’d actually play his idol. Then producer Graham King saw his videos. King called him an old soul who captures the true magic of young Michael Jackson. Giuliano went through a year of auditions and callbacks before landing the role. When he saw himself in full hair and makeup for the first time, he said, “It was so surreal because I just thought that I was Michael.

The film premiered in April 2026. Critics praised Giuliano’s performance. Cultured magazine called him irrepressibly adorable. Audiences loved him. He walked red carpets with Jaffer Jackson. He appeared on the Jennifer Hudson show and impressed everyone with his moonwalk.

He won $50 from director Antoine Fugqua after betting him he wouldn’t mess up a scene with a rat. He bonded with Coleman Domingo who played his abusive father Joe Jackson. He called the experience surreal and said I felt like I was actually Michael Jackson. But the experience wasn’t all fun. Kouliano felt the weight of the role in a way most people don’t understand.

He told E News, “I had a big responsibility. I had to take care of that like taking care of a baby basically.” He felt pressure to make Michael’s family proud. When Catherine Jackson visited the set, he was determined to impress her. He said, “I remember seeing Catherine and when I saw her, I wanted to make her proud.

The hardest scenes were the ones showing Michael’s abusive relationship with his father.” Juliano said, “It was just really hard to have certain emotions because this happened to Michael quite often, but doesn’t happen to me. It’s amazing experience. I love young I love Michael Jackson and he’s the greatest entertainer of all time.

” While Juliano was becoming a star, his family was falling apart. His grandmother, Daniellea Valdiv Vaso, told the Daily Mail that she had been shut out of his life. She hasn’t seen him since 2022. She described feeling like she’s watching his success from a distance, unable to celebrate with him. His aunt said they want that relationship back.

The family separation has a traumatic backstory. When Juliano was 3 years old, he was attacked by his older cousin with a shovel. He suffered both internal and external injuries. According to court records, his grandmother’s words were heartbreaking. I don’t think we’re going to see Juliano anymore because of what’s happening. I want to say to everybody here, thank you, Dad.

[laughter] Thank you. Thank you so much. This these are our children. Our children. [laughter] Despite everything, Juliano didn’t stop. He kept working. He kept acting. He appeared in the animated film Arco in 2025 as the voice of Arco Durell. He joined the cast of The Loud House as the voice of Clyde McBride.

He appeared on 911 as a character named Reed. He attended the Annie Awards as a presenter. He continued training with professional choreographers and he never stopped talking about Michael Jackson. He said, “I would listen to Michael Jackson songs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” Emergency. OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE.

Firefighters are on their way. Please help us. Okay. Do you have a fire extinguisher in the cabinet? It’s on fire. Then step back. Do not touch that knob. When Juliano Crew Valdi stepped onto the set of Michael, he was just a 9-year-old super fan with a dream. When he stepped off, he was something else entirely. Critics called his performance irrepressibly adorable.

Audiences felt like they were watching the king of pop come back to life, and Hollywood took notice. But the most remarkable thing about his performance wasn’t the dancing. It wasn’t the moonwalk. It was how he made people feel. Because Juliano didn’t just play young Michael Jackson. He reminded the world why they fell in love with Michael in the first place.

Critics arrived at the premiere ready to judge the film. They left talking about Juliano. Culture magazine called him irrepressibly adorable. A review on film Kindi and noted that his nephew does a great job and so does the little boy that plays him. Another praised the acting, dancing, and singing abilities of both Jaffer and Juliano.

One reviewer wrote that watching Juliano as young Michael was inspirational. Another said he captured the magic of young Michael Jackson. Audiences agreed. Social media was flooded with praise for the young actor who brought Michael’s childhood to life. Young performer is one of the next greats.

Juliano Valdi in the Michael movie is absolutely insane. Before I feel that not enough people are showing enough love to the young man who played young Michael Jackson in this movie. What made Juliano’s performance so powerful was his ability to make audiences feel something. His scenes were emotional. He had to portray Michael’s complicated relationship with his father, Joe Jackson.

Coleman Domingo, who played Joe, described the experience. It’s incredibly difficult to sit through. The film does not shy away from the reality of Joe’s intense verbal and physical abuse. Audiences watched as a young boy was pulled away from childhood and isolated from the real world, forced to carry the weight of his family’s future.

The theater sat in silence and Juliano was the reason why. That’s right. You going to cry. Going to cry. Gone. Big nose. Said, “Lord, I’m [singing] The most powerful validation came from the Jackson family themselves. Katherine Jackson visited the set and Juliano was determined to make her proud. He told E News, “I remember seeing Catherine and when I saw her, I wanted to make her proud.

” Jaffer Jackson, who played adult Michael, praised his young counterpart. The two worked together seamlessly, and audiences could feel the connection. The film’s young Michael wasn’t just a child actor. He was the heart of the story. He was the reason the film worked at all. Juliano is extraordinary. I remember first meeting him and feeling that energy from day one.

He has such an old soul, but at the same time, he’s so electrifying and it’s infectious, that energy that he brings to set. And it’s so Michael. Juliano didn’t just act, he transformed. The hair, the makeup, the costumes, it all came together to create something magical. He told Entertainment Weekly, “It was so surreal because I just thought that I was Michael.

I had a second to look at myself in the mirror right before I was going to film the ABC scene, and I just remember thinking that I looked so cool and that I was about to make everyone proud. That authenticity, a 9-year-old genuinely believing he was Michael Jackson, is what made his performance so believable, and it’s what made Hollywood sit up and take notice.

When the cameras stopped rolling on Michael, Juliano Valdi didn’t stop working. He didn’t wait for Hollywood to come to him. He kept building. He kept creating. He became the voice of a beloved cartoon character. He voiced the lead in an animated film. He appeared on television shows.

He walked red carpets as a presenter. And he did it all while being just 12 years old. But the most remarkable part, most people don’t even know about these projects. Because while the world was watching him play Michael Jackson, Juliano was quietly building a career that could outlast the biopic. In October 2025, Juliano landed a role that would change everything.

He was announced as the new voice of Clyde McBride on Nickelodeon’s hit animated series, The Loud House. He took over the role from Jaden White. He announced the news on Instagram, writing, “I’m so proud to share that I’m a new voice of Clyde McBride on The Loud House. From watching The Loud House to being a part of it, Clyde is a significant character on one of Nickelodeon’s longest running shows.

It’s a role that gives Juliano consistent work and a dedicated fan base. This is agony, right guys? No, go do goofes. We already chose ours. But anyway, uh we should try. Maybe we can help you pick. Gulano also voiced the titular character in the English dub of Arco. The film was released in 2025. He recorded voice over for the animated project while also promoting Michael.

It was a completely different type of performance. No dancing, no singing, just his voice. He worked with professional voice directors and brought a character to life through sound alone. It was a chance to show his range. There was a best kid actor category in the Oscars. The young Michael Jackson in the Michael pick deserves that.

Kuliano has also done extensive media promotion. He appeared on Channel 13 Las Vegas News to discuss the role. He appeared on the Jennifer Hudson show and impressed everyone with his moonwalk. He spoke to Entertainment Weekly about his experiences on set. He has proven to be a natural in interviews, speaking with confidence and charm.

He’s articulate, engaging, and clearly comfortable in front of the camera. You started like dancing in Vegas and things like that. Like, did you ever think that you were going to play Michael and then were you doing that just for fun and hopes to play it one day or anything like that? My mom uh she she was like, “Um, I wonder if he could play a young Michael Jackson one day.

” And 5 years later, even with all his success, Kuliano hasn’t stopped training. He continues to work with professional choreographers. He practices his dancing. He studies his craft. He’s dedicated to becoming a better performer. He told one outlet, “I would listen to Michael Jackson songs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

His passion for performance is genuine, and it’s what will carry him forward.” Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Oh yes. Juliano Valdi has already achieved what most child actors only dream of. He played young Michael Jackson in a billion-dollar biopic. He became the voice of Clyde McBride on The Loud House.

He walked red carpets around the world. He went over critics and audiences alike. But here’s the thing, he’s only 12 years old and his career is just getting started because what comes next for Juliano could be even bigger than Michael. Juliano has also appeared in several liveaction television shows. He played a character named Reed on 911.

He appeared on Face’s music party as Juliano the Beatboxer. He attended the Annie Awards as a presenter. These roles are building his resume and proving he can handle different types of performances. He’s not just a dancer. He’s not just a child actor who landed one lucky role. He’s an actor with range.

Little Michael Juliano Kubaldi last night doing some Billy G. This kid is a song. He’s so good and he’s so young. One of the reasons Juliano’s career is accelerating is the critical praise he received for Michael. Director Antoine Fquist said, “Coulo is a genuine whirlwind of unstoppable energy, but at the same time, he is a very sweet child with extraordinary talent.

” Producer Graeme King said Juliano arrived, read the lines, did the scene, and absolutely nailed it. Writer John Logan said Juliano captured the perfect balance between vulnerability and joy. The kind of praise from industry veterans opens doors. It signals to casting directors that Juliano is the real deal.

It was a really long process and I had I had auditioned like many times and I’m just really grateful that Antoine Fukqua and Graham King trusted me with the role and I’m just I had no words. It was like my dream getting that role. Juliano is represented by Paradigm Talent Agency. Being signed to a major agency is a signal to the industry that he’s a serious talent.

It opens doors to auditions and projects that aren’t available to unrepresented actors. It also ensures he has professional guidance as he navigates his career. His team is actively building his future. Juliano’s voice acting career is already providing a foundation for his future. He’s the new voice of Clyde McBride on The Loud House, taking over the role from Jaden White.

He also voiced the titular character in the English dub of Arco, a French animated film that was an official selection at the 2025 Can Film Festival. Voice acting gives him consistent work, a dedicated fan base, and the ability to work while growing up in the public eye. It’s a career that could sustain him for years. project right now is called Nickelodeon’s TV series The Loud House.

And um my kids love that show, by the way. Who are you? Who do you play? I play Clyde McBride. I’m going to have to let them know they are going to flip. They love like it’s always Welcome to the Loud House. [laughter] They love it. Yeah. And after I got that audition, um right after uh I I like booked it.

Then I got an audition for Arco and um I auditioned for that and Ugo Bianu, the director of the movie, he liked it and I got the role and the rest is history. I love that. Okay. And you Here’s the challenge that every child actor faces. Can they escape the role that made them famous? Juliano is taking a different path by building a voice acting career and taking on different types of roles.

He’s showing he’s versatile, but the Michael role will always be the one that defined him. And he’ll have to prove that he can be more than just the boy who played young Michael Jackson. Hope he secretly told me that I did amazing in this film. And I hope he’s just super proud of me. And uh he probably would have said that I reminded me of him when he was a kid.

Juliano Valdi went from a 9-year-old super fan with 150,000 Instagram followers to the star of a billion dollar biopic. He won over critics, audiences, and the Jackson family. He felt the weight of playing an icon. He bonded with Coleman Domingo and won $50 from Antoine Fugqua. He dealt with family estrangement and a traumatic past.

And through it all, he kept working. He’s been building a career behind the scenes. And now the world is about to see what he does next. If you like stories like this, drop a comment below and subscribe to the channel. See you in the next video. Your mom with you. Huh? Can we get her? Let’s bring you. Come here, mom. Come on.

Come here. How are you? What was it like? And what does it mean? Do you see in your child do something like this? It means so much to me. I’m so excited. I’m so proud of him. He’s a wonderful son.