After news of his casting as the Jackson family patriarch is announced, the 'Rustin' actor gushes about starring opposite Michael's nephew Jaafar Jackson, who portrays the late singer, describing him as 'breathtaking.'
- Jan 26, 2024
AceShowbiz - Colman Domingo has landed a big role following his first Oscar nomination. The "Rustin" star has been cast as Michael Jackson's father Joe Jackson for Antoine Fuqua's upcoming biopic "Michael".
After news of his casting broke on Thursday, January 25, the actor says in an upcoming episode of Variety's the Awards Circuit Podcast, "It's exciting to do it with Jaafar." He is talking about MJ's nephew and Jermaine Jackson's son Jaafar Jackson, who was previously tapped to play the King of Pop.
The 54-year-old goes on gushing, "Jermaine Jackson's son is playing Michael, and he is breathtaking, and I think Graham King, the producer, has assembled an incredible cast."
Colman also voiced his excitement in a statement issued on Thursday. "I'm excited to be a part of a film that explores both the complicated soul of the legendary Michael Jackson as well as his impact on music and culture as a global icon," he said. "Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front row seat for Jaafar's incredible transformation."
Graham said of choosing Colman for the role, "Few actors present themselves with Colman's screen presence and force of will. We're so fortunate to have an actor with his undeniable talent portraying Joe Jackson on screen. We couldn't be more excited to have him join us on this journey."
Antoine added, "Colman has such incredible range - he puts in the work to deeply inhabit his characters and understand their true essence and motivation. I'm grateful to be working with an actor with his passion and ability to portray the many sides of Joe Jackson: a husband, a father and a manager."
Known for his often controversial parenting, Joe was the driving force behind the rise and success of The Jackson 5, which consisted of Michael, Jermaine, Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson and Marlon Jackson. He is described in a press release as the "hard-driving, singularly focused, controversial patriarch of the Jackson family."
Per the official logline, " 'Michael' will bring audiences a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man who became the King of Pop. The film presents his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale - from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified by his most iconic performances. As never before, audiences will experience an inside look into one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known."
Recently, 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi, who is a big fan of Michael, was tapped to portray a young version of the late singer. "I've been dancing to his songs for five years now," Juliano said after his casting was announced. "This opportunity is really important to me because Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, and he is very special in my heart."
The film is set to be released in the United States on April 18, 2025, with production currently underway.
Colman is fresh of scoring his first Oscar nomination. He nabbed the nomination for Best Actor at the upcoming 96 th Academy Awards for his portrayal of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in Netflix's film "Rustin", for which he was also nominated at the Golden Globe Awards and BAFTA Awards. He also stars in the new "The Color Purple" film.
