Jaafar Jackson on Auditioning for ‘Michael,' Family Reactions, More

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:30:14 +0000

Jaafar Jackson, nephew of Michael Jackson and star of the highly anticipated biopic “Michael,” joins TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager and guest co-host Willie Geist for his very first television interview to discuss making his acting debut as the “King of Pop.” Jackson opens up about the responsibility and pressure he felt to accurately portray his legendary uncle, saying, “I really had to earn and really prove to the filmmakers and myself and my family that I can pull it off.” He also talks about recreating the "Thriller” music video where it was originally shot and his grandmother’s praise for his performance. “That’s definitely the highest compliment that I could get and means the most to me.”

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