Jaafar Jackson’s “Michael” Performance Left His Family in Tears, Prince Jackson in Shock

By Mockulus Editorial
September 25, 2026

Jaafar Jackson’s performance as his uncle in “Michael” wasn’t just a career-defining moment for the first-time actor, it visibly shook the family members who watched him bring Michael Jackson back to life on set. Prince Jackson, who served as an executive producer on the film, has described his own first encounter with Jaafar in full costume as an “emotional shock,” and he’s not the only relative who’s said the resemblance was hard to process.

Prince’s Reaction On Set

In an interview with ABC News Live, Prince said seeing Jaafar in hair, makeup, and costume for the first time caught him off guard. “[It] was really an emotional shock because I had not seen my father in a long time,” Prince said, adding that it was “difficult to maintain and keep composure” in the moment. He said his instinct was simply to hug his cousin. Prince and Jaafar grew up together at Hayvenhurst, the family’s longtime Encino estate, making the moment particularly personal. Prince has called working on the film with Jaafar “one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

Other Family Members Echoed The Sentiment

Prince wasn’t the only relative moved by Jaafar’s transformation. At the film’s Los Angeles premiere, Michael’s brother Jackie Jackson said watching the movie felt like watching Michael on stage again, telling reporters it brought tears to his eyes. Marlon Jackson, another of Michael’s brothers, has repeatedly praised the performance in interviews, calling Jaafar “unbelievable” and saying he believes his nephew was “the only one that could have done this,” citing his own decades performing alongside Michael as the reason the portrayal struck him so deeply. According to a report from TGV Cinemas, Tito Jackson has said watching Jaafar felt like seeing his brother again.

How Jaafar Prepared For The Role

Jaafar has spoken publicly about how demanding the preparation was. He’s said he spent roughly two years studying archival footage, interviews, and Michael’s own writings to prepare, and that his first two weeks on set were spent filming Michael’s stage performances, including a recreation of the “Bad” tour. In an appearance on “The Tonight Show,” Jaafar described his first time seeing himself in full transformation as a “spiritual moment” that left him emotional. Director Antoine Fuqua has credited the film’s hair, makeup, and choreography team, some of whom worked with Michael directly, for helping achieve the transformation, but said the performance itself goes further than physical resemblance. “It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way,” Fuqua said. “You have to experience it to believe it.”

A Performance Still Resonating With Audiences

Since “Michael” opened in theaters on April 24, it has gone on to become the highest-grossing biopic in box office history, crossing $1 billion at the global box office. Jaafar has said his own hope for the film is that it shows audiences an emotional side of his uncle that hasn’t been widely seen before, something the reactions from his own family, captured on cameras throughout the film’s rollout, suggest the performance has already achieved for the people who knew Michael best.