The Moment Jaafar Jackson REALIZED He Had BECOME Michael Jackson – dw

Jafar, what was it like when you got to see yourself dressed as Michael for the first time? Wow, I remember that so vividly. Now, what was the moment where you looked in the mirror and it hit you that you were transformed into your uncle Michael? It’s when I I was able to uh land three spins and stop on my toes.

That’s like, okay, I’m getting somewhere. Speaking of transformations, I mean, how long did it take to nail You have a very different speaking voice than your uncle. Like, I’m like, that’s How long did it take to master that? It was It’s very particular. When I was doing all the performances, I was actually singing out live in the microphone uh on top of Michael’s track.

So, it’s a blend of my vocal and Michael’s. However, they edited, you know, both of my uh my vocal and Michael’s together. But, even, you know, the moments where there’s no back backing track, it’s actually me singing, you know, the acapellas, which was really fun to to do. Imagine spending 2 years preparing to become someone else. Someone so famous, so instantly recognizable that almost every person on the planet knows exactly how they move, how they speak, and how they perform.

Now, imagine that someone is your own uncle. That was the reality for Jaafar Jackson when he signed on to play Michael Jackson in the biopic Michael. But, something happened during those 2 years of preparation that nobody expected, not even Jaafar himself. Yeah. a process that was almost 2 years of just the auditioning, and that’s before I even knew I was really going to play him.

Then, after that, I had like another year and a half to really hone in on the little details and nuances and and with that confidence knowing that I have the role, but the the auditioning process was was very, very challenging, but it really helped me to shape what I needed to be for going into into Michael. He was ready to work harder than he had ever worked in his life.

He was ready to spend hours in the makeup chair, practice dance moves until his body ached, and study every piece of footage he could find. What he wasn’t ready for was the moment he realized he didn’t always have to try so hard. Somewhere along the way, imitation started to feel natural, and that was when everything changed.

I don’t know hours, but I know I’ll dedicate I don’t want to I don’t want to add it all right now, but I would do 4 to 6 hours of rehearsal every day. Uh Monday through Friday, sometimes when even on the weekends, but a month straight solid, but I would prep prior to that with other songs before I I knew we’re going to do that cuz songs were shuffled That’s a very difficult number to do Yeah.

Most actors preparing for a biopic face the challenge of playing a real person. They study the mannerisms, practice the voice, and try to disappear into someone else’s life. But Jaafar’s situation was completely different from any normal acting role. I knew I needed to step Really? Oh, yeah.

I It was I was not um I was not close to what I thought, you know. [laughter] Really? I had a lot of work to do. But cuz I would have thought you would have thought, “Well, I’m his nephew. I could just do a few moves and I’ll be done.” Oh, no. I wanted to really take it serious and and learn first acting before getting into the dancing or the mannerisms or even the voice work.

I wanted to learn about acting. He wasn’t playing a distant historical figure or a stranger whose life he had only read about in books. He was playing the man who used to come over for family game nights. The uncle he remembered from childhood visits to Neverland Ranch. The family member he had spent real personal time with. Probably playing hide-and-go-seek up at the ranch, and I was around 10 years old.

And it was just just so fun and and and freeing, and just eating as much candy as I can possibly possibly handle. I remember at that time, I remember asking him, “Can I take Can I take the candy machine?” Like I asked for the whole machine. [laughter] He said, “Of course. Yeah, take it.” So I actually went home with a full candy machine, and then I had bad stomach after, but just those fun uh normal moments.

Those memories gave Jaafar something that no amount of research could provide. But, knowing someone personally and recreating their entire life on screen are two very different things. Jaafar had to find the right balance between his family memories and the enormous expectations of playing one of history’s most iconic performers.

I would say it’s learn the moves is one thing, but to to perform it in the way Michael performs it and and pull it off in in the way he would you know, want me to do it. I would say that that was the most challenging because it it takes time to just learn the move the exact way he does it, but to perform it with that same energy with that same like flare, that that little the little nuances and the little details are what I really want to pay attention to and focus on.

The preparation began, and it was relentless. Jaafar spent 2 years training for this role, not months. Two full years of daily rehearsals, research, and physical transformation. He understood that playing Michael Jackson was not something you could prepare for in a few weeks. He started by studying everything he could find.

Archival videos, tour footage, interviews, every piece of Michael Jackson material that existed became part of Jaafar’s homework. He collected a library of videos showing Michael dancing and performing. He read books about Michael. He listened to all of his music. He even read the books that Michael had read and watched the movies that Michael had watched.

This wasn’t just about copying moves. Jaafar wanted to understand his uncle from the inside out. But, within that time I really learned a lot about myself that even though I I wasn’t pulling off a lot of the moves or knowing the meaning behind it, I still tried it again and again over and over until I got it right.

But, also just to dance for hours and hours every day and look at it as a as a full-time job. It was life-changing for me to to have that experience. The dance training was particularly intense. Jaafar worked with Rich and Tony Talauega, the very choreographers who had worked with Michael. We broke down uh frame by frame the Billie Jean performance from Motown 25, and that was the first uh set of choreography I started to learn throughout the process, and I had 20 days to kind of prove to them and and the filmmakers that I can pull it off within those 20

days, even though in my mind I was like, “20 days? I I How can I do that? I need a lot more time.” And and within that time I I was very doubtful, and it was incredibly challenging. But then came the moments that surprised him. Jaafar had spent so long trying to become Michael that something unexpected started happening.

Certain movements began feeling natural. A gesture here, a stance there. He wasn’t forcing it anymore. The imitation was starting to feel like second nature. Director Antoine Fuqua witnessed this transformation first hand. He recalled meeting Jaafar for the first time and being struck by something unusual. Day one, all I could think of was can Jaafar really pull this off? Man, when the music started and he hit those first few moves, I mean, this guy killed it.

I looked at Graham, and Graham looked at me. I was like, “Who is this guy?” Bob Richardson, the great DP, showed me a video of him and Michael on the set together. But it was modern. I said, “Well, who When did you shoot a video with Michael Jackson?” He said, “No, this is Jaafar.” And it blew my mind. tell the difference? Could not tell the difference.

Then when I met Jaafar, I thought he was pretending. I thought he was acting, auditioning for me. We would have breakfast. He was so Michael-like, just his way he spoke and his behavior and his The director explained that Jaafar wasn’t putting on an act. The qualities that seemed so Michael-like were actually part of who Jaafar was.

The family connection was visible in his natural presence, not just in his performance. Fuqua described an early screen test that convinced him completely. Then we did a test screening. And Rich, when I tell you, man, he walked out the room, it was Michael Jackson. And we started recording him, just doing test makeup tests, all that.

Right. Then I threw a question at him. Now, Ja’far never acted before in his life. Mhm. This is first time This is his first time ever. Never acted before in his life. Wow. Right? I I threw a question at him. Just to see what he would do. Yeah. And he answered the question as if he was Michael.

And he had the whole room with tears in their eyes. And I was like, he’s the real deal. The physical resemblance was only part of it. What made Ja’far convincing was something deeper, a natural quality that couldn’t be taught in acting classes. One of the most remarkable moments came when Ja’far saw himself in the makeup chair for the first time.

In his interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Ja’far described the experience as deeply emotional. He would spend hours with Bill Corso, the head of makeup on the film, slowly transforming into Michael. Each session brought him closer to his uncle’s appearance. It was It was really a surreal a spiritual moment at the same time.

You know, spending all those hours in the makeup chair and and thanks to the incredible Bill Corso, who’s the head of makeup on the film, just that process of seeing me slowly transform into Michael was it was emotional. But the makeup and costumes were not what made his performance convincing.

The real transformation had been happening gradually over 2 years of practice. By the time he stepped on set, Ja’far had internalized so much of Michael’s presence that he didn’t have to think about it anymore. The pressure was enormous. There was no way to hide in a role this big. When you watch it, you have his moves.

I mean, you did the work, buddy. You put the You put the work in. You did the homework. Thank you. It’s amazing job. Thank you. It’s not It’s It’s not just the the moonwalk, which you know, it’s more than that, but that must have been pressured the day that you had to do The moonwalk? Yeah.

Well, see, going into it, I I I always told myself, “What What should I start on first?” Michael Jackson is one of the most documented performers in history. Millions of people know exactly how he danced, how he moved across the stage, and how he connected with audiences. Even the smallest mistake would be noticed and criticized.

Jaafar had to be perfect, but he also had to avoid becoming a simple impersonator. I wanted to make sure I had everything in a balanced uh uh in a balanced way to not make sure like I didn’t want the dancing to outdo the acting or the acting to outdo the dancing. I wanted to really embody it completely and and and do it in a way where uh it feels natural, like it feels like I’m a seasoned actor, since it’s my first time, but I wanted to approach it in that in that sense.

The balance was difficult. He had studied Michael’s mannerisms so carefully that he could replicate them precisely. But he also had to remember that his uncle was a person, not just a collection of dance moves and gestures. And then I got into the world of Michael and dissecting him and embodying his moves, his mannerisms, his speaking voice, and really just kind of immersing myself in in in the world of Michael as much as I can.

One thing that helped Jaafar find the right approach was discovering Michael’s personal writings. The family had shared access to Michael’s private notes, including the mantras and affirmations he used to motivate himself. I I I was allowed access to a lot of his personal notes, and I realized that he would do mantras, affirmations, and his belief in manifestation was was incredible.

I didn’t realize that about him until I really, you know, really dived into it, and he would write everything he wanted to achieve. He’d write it down. He would repeat it, he he’d even meditate for 30 minutes and just look at those mantras and repeat it back-to-back. He put on mirrors, he put on the ceiling so he can see it every day and Jaafar found this material incredibly inspiring.

Michael would write down his goals, repeat affirmations, and meditate while looking at his mantras. He even put them on his mirrors and ceiling so he would see them every day. was like his pursuit to greatness. So I applied that same work ethic and his that same belief with how I was preparing going towards shooting and it was it was very incredible just to see what those notes were saying.

Understanding Michael’s inner world helped Jaafar connect with the person behind the legend. Perhaps the most powerful confirmation came from Jaafar’s own family. When Jaafar was cast as Michael, he kept the news a secret not just for a few days or weeks, but for an entire year. He didn’t tell his mother, his father, or any other family members.

Is it true that when you found out about the movie that you kept it secret for a year before you told your folks back home? Yeah, I did keep it a secret from my family for up to a year, I would say. And the main reason for that is because I really wanted to see for myself how well I can do in the beginning and I wanted to make sure that it was something I knew for sure that I had it before I spoke too soon.

When his mother finally saw him on screen, her reaction was overwhelming. She was blown away by what she saw. The resemblance was so striking that she had trouble connecting it to her own son. My son Jaafar Jackson is sometimes it’s so real because it’s my baby. [laughter] And I said, “Mom, the first thing I feel is a protection, but the world loves him right now and then it’s what a what a journey it is.

” And what are you most looking forward to with that journey? That he will keep that beautiful heart and mind and humble and that will keep him going. Just to hear achieve his goals. This reaction from someone who knew both Ja’far and Michael personally was significant. If his own mother saw Michael instead of her son, then the transformation was truly complete.

Ja’far’s grandmother, Katherine Jackson, had also approved the casting from the beginning. When the role was announced, she said, “Ja’far embodies my son.” Said, “Ja’far, the film was phenomenal.” No. I said, “Really, grandma? Like you really think so?” She said, “You were so good. Aw. You were so good.

” And I I got very emotional and I was just like almost like shaking a bit. [laughter] Aw. And it it was all I wanted to hear. That endorsement from Michael’s own mother gave Ja’far a confidence boost that no amount of training could provide. Having my my grandmother really tell me how proud she was and and just hug me and said how excellent I was doing, that’s all I needed to hear to really give me the confidence to pursue and and continue to put in the hours and really really work towards what I wanted to achieve. Her opinion really was all I

needed to hear. That’s really all I wanted to hear. The recreation of iconic moments in the film pushed Ja’far to his limits, including filming the Thriller sequence at the same location where Michael had filmed it in 1983. The original video was created decades ago and Ja’far was now performing the same choreography on the same street.

Same exact location for two nights, all through the night. And we actually had a full moon. On one of those nights, it was just crazy. That’s that kind of Michael Jackson magic. You had a full moon? a full moon and it was it was it was cold. I know he he shot during the summer, but just being at that location, seeing the zombies around me, Yeah.

was I was like I mean, that’s one of my favorite videos other than Smooth Criminal, but that the be in the locate the real location was incredible. The director recreated the sequence faithfully, even making sure that specific visual details match the original video. Jimmy Fallon showed side-by-side images of the original video and the film’s recreation.

The resemblance was almost impossible to tell apart. This is Michael Jackson in the Thriller video in 1983. This is Jaafar as Michael. Very incredible. As the filming continued, something important became clear. Jaafar wasn’t just imitating his uncle anymore. The movements that had once required intense practice were becoming natural.

The difference may seem small, but it’s crucial. Imitation is external. It’s about copying what you see on the surface. But what happened to Jaafar was internal. He had absorbed so much of his uncle’s presence that parts of it had become part of his own performance style. Jaafar described wanting to approach the role from the very beginning of Michael’s life.

And I have a deeper understanding of all the hard work they really did for me to be here, I would say, and that was all led by Joseph. Not to just get lost in the celebrity of it and the accolades, but also to always make sure you’re Yeah. you’re sticking to your your your roots and you’re giving back.

I had a better understanding after this film, I would say, of all of that after doing a deeper dive into my family’s past. This comprehensive approach meant that Jaafar didn’t just learn the finished product of Michael’s performance style. He understood how Michael developed that style over time. What made this transformation so powerful was not just the surface-level resemblance.

The real impact came from the fact that Jaafar was bringing a family member back to the screen. He wasn’t a stranger playing a famous figure. He was someone who had personal memories, personal love, and a personal connection to the man he was portraying. That connection was visible in every scene.

Michael’s fans around the world have responded to Jafaar’s performance with overwhelming enthusiasm. Jafaar hopes that audiences will leave the film with a deeper understanding of who Michael was at his core. I wanted to make sure that I captured his essence and would give audiences a glimpse of just how incredible human being he was.

You know, if I captured just a tiny glimpse, um that’s what I wanted to do for for this film and and for my family. And from day one, that was my mission just to bring that essence to the screen as much as I possibly can. The support from his family has been crucial throughout production. The support I I’ve had from my family, from my father, everyone, it’s been so heartwarming and I I honestly wouldn’t be able to to pull this off I if I didn’t have the support.

The journey has been emotional. The pressure has been intense, but the result has been something that feels almost magical. It became a way for Michael Jackson to live again, at least on screen. And that’s something that no amount of makeup, choreography, or preparation could have manufactured on its own.

Do you think Jafaar was actually trying to copy Michael in those moments? Or did some of Michael’s mannerisms come naturally to him? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. If you enjoyed this video, please like and subscribe to see more stories about the incredible journey behind the Michael biopic.