Jaafar Jackson on Playing His Uncle in ‘Michael,’ Losing the Original Third Act and the Upcoming Sequel: ‘My Job Is to Come Prepared’

Oct 19, 2026 2:01pm PT Jaafar Jackson on Playing His Uncle in ‘Michael,’ Losing the Original Third Act and the Upcoming Sequel: ‘My Job Is to Come Prepared’

Awards Circuit Podcast: Also, what's it like to grow up in one of the most famous families in the world?

By Clayton Davis

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Clayton Davis

Chief Awards Editor

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Two years before a frame of “Michael” was shot, Jaafar Jackson wrote down a list of goals. One was to beat “Bohemian Rhapsody” and cross $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

He did both.

Antoine Fuqua’s film, which opened April 24, became the first biopic in history to surpass $1 billion worldwide and Lionsgate’s biggest release ever. It also made a star of Jackson, who had never acted professionally before.

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