The Boy Who Played Young Michael… The Untold Story of Juliano Valdi – dw

Before he ever stepped on a movie set, before Hollywood came calling, a 4-year-old boy sat in front of TV screen and watched Michael Jackson move in a way that changed his life forever. Today, that same boy plays young Michael Jackson in the biggest music biopic OF ALL TIME. HIS NAME IS JULIANO CRU VALDI, and his journey from an obsessed young fan to sharing the screen with Jaafar Jackson is one of the most unexpected stories to come out of Michael’s billion-dollar biopic.

I love young I love Michael Jackson, and he’s the greatest entertainer of all time. It started in 2018. Juliano was just 4 years old when his grandmother showed him the Smooth Criminal music video for the first time. I was at my grandmother’s house, and she turns on her TV and turns on the Smooth Criminal music video.

I started watching it, and and I told my grandma, “Who’s this?” And she’s like, “Oh, this is Michael Jackson.” He was instantly hooked. By the time he turned 5, he had watched that single video hundreds of times, studying every movement, every lean, every step. Okay, but that moonwalk. Michael is very known for his signature moonwalk.

What’s one dance move that you want to be known for? The moonwalk, definitely. And like the you know, the circle spin. You know what that is? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh my god. Thank you. I love it. But this wasn’t just a phase. What happened next turned a young boy’s bedroom obsession into a viral moment that caught Hollywood’s attention.

Juliano, how are you doing today? I’m doing great. [laughter] Now, I have to know about your casting process because you were already on social media embodying Michael, his dance moves, his outfits. What was it like bringing what you were already doing on social media to the big screen this time? Uh it was really really really exciting to get this role.

Um I It was like so much pressure on me and I didn’t know I had it in me, but with a lot of practice and a lot of support from my family uh it It was a It was a It did give me an Juliano began recreating Michael’s dances in public, eventually performing in Times Square itself. The video spread fast and by 2023, he had gained over 150,000 followers online.

He wasn’t just dancing, he was studying. Every costume, every signature move, every small detail of Michael’s stage presence became something Juliano practiced obsessively. Then, in January 2024, everything changed. Juliano was officially cast to play young Michael Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming biopic, Michael.

How did you prepare to sing like Michael? Well, um when I got the role, I trained with uh Miss Stephanie Spruill. And fun fact about her, in the new video Well, in the um in the uh song by Michael Jackson and the Jacksons, Can You Feel It, she played the She did that little voice back there, that high little Director Antoine Fuqua later revealed just how difficult that casting decision really was, admitting that finding a child actor with the talent of the greatest entertainer who ever lived felt

nearly impossible. It was a really long process and I had a audition like many times and I’m just really grateful that Antoine Fuqua and Graham King trusted me with the role and I’m just I have no words. It was like my dream getting that role. In the end, talent won out. Fuqua said Juliano’s ability to capture Michael’s voice, charisma, and dance skills put him at the very top of the list.

Juliano would go on to portray young Michael during his earliest years in the Jackson 5, the era of I Want You Back, ABC, and I’ll Be There. He performed alongside a full ensemble of young actors playing his brothers, recreating the energy of a family that would go on to change music history. [singing] But stepping into this role came with a weight most 12-year-olds never have to carry.

Juliano wasn’t just performing for a camera. He was performing in front of Michael’s actual family. In an interview, Juliano admitted just how much pressure that responsibility placed on him, describing the experience as something he had to handle with extreme care and gentleness. This is your first major acting role in a feature film and you’re portraying a young Michael Jackson during the Jackson 5 era.

So, what was it like stepping into his character and understanding who he was not just on stage, but especially off stage? It was really fun, but also a big responsibility. I had to, you know, show who he was as a person as a kid when the cameras weren’t on. Time moved on. He said that knowing the family believed in him so deeply only made him feel the responsibility even more.

Fans and critics alike began taking notice, not just for his performance, but for how closely his voice resembled Michael’s own. Little Michael Juliano Covaldi last night doing some Billie Jean. This kid is a star. Look at him. He’s so good and he’s so young. Mike, I need you to look at me. [singing] Dirty Diana Mike, look here.

As the film’s release approached, Juliano found himself becoming one of the most talked about breakout names tied to the entire project, standing right alongside Jaafar Jackson in the spotlight. When Michael finally hit theaters, it didn’t just perform well. It became the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, surpassing even Bohemian Rhapsody.

The Jackson movie has officially made history. Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, has opened in cinemas across Vietnam, bringing the King of Pop story to the big screen. Okay, let’s go out there and tear that stage up. Yeah. Give the audience what they deserve. The best show ever.

I told you what to think. And through it all, Juliano’s scenes as young Michael became a quiet emotional anchor for audiences, a reminder of where the legend’s story truly began. Since the film’s release, Juliano’s career has only continued to grow. He’s taken on additional roles, including joining the cast of Nickelodeon’s The Loud House.

I brought a little something for you, Juliano. I did a little sketch on the computer on my tablet. was like, “What would you look like in Thriller?” goodness, this is awesome. Pretty good. It is. [laughter] Very cool. For a kid who once sat mesmerized in front of a television screen, watching a music video hundreds of times, the journey to Hollywood has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Juliano Vardi didn’t just play a role, he carried a piece of Michael Jackson’s legacy forward for a brand new generation to discover. And as Michael’s story continues to reach new audiences through streaming and beyond, Juliano’s performance will remain part of how the world remembers where the King of Pop’s story began. From a boy who idolized Michael Jackson to an actor who helped bring his story to life, Juliano Vardi’s journey proves that legacies have a way of finding the right hands.

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