A biopic about the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, will be released by April next year. Photo / Getty Images
A biopic about the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, will be released by April next year. Photo / Getty Images
Warning: This article references child sexual abuse
The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael has been confirmed to feature the King of Pop’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the titular role, as well as the recently Oscar-nominated Colman Domingo, Nia Long, and Miles Teller.
With each cast announcement, a press release has promised the film will be “a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man” — but, as Variety reports, what about the allegations he used his fame to groom underage boys?
The outlet confirmed director Antoine Fuqua will explore those allegations, which Jackson consistently denied during his life, as he was acquitted of child molestation and intoxicating a minor in 2005. His family have maintained his innocence ever since his death in 2009.
Jackson’s family are closely involved with the film, with at least one of his relatives said to be on set each day, though a spokesperson told Variety they have “stepped out of the creative process”.
Producer Graham King told Variety the pop star’s life was “complicated”.
“As a filmmaker, I look to humanise but not sanitise and present the most compelling, unbiased story I can capture in a single feature film and let the audience decide how they feel after watching it. Michael clearly remains an impactful, culturally relevant artist with a life and legacy worth exploring,” King said.
However, Dan Reed, who directed 2019 docuseries Leaving Neverland, has labelled the screenplay “startlingly disingenuous” because it reportedly tries to discredit allegations made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck that Jackson had sexual relationships with them during their childhood.
Reed claims the film will show the pop star “caring for children with childhood cancer, or dancing with a little girl in a wheelchair, or tucking up multiple little boys, mostly his nephews, at sleepovers”, hinting the filmmakers had been “told what to write”.
It’s clear the film will face criticism however it tackles the allegations. Robson and Safechuck sued Jackson’s companies in 2013 and 2014 for failing to protect them from the alleged sexual abuse. Last year, a California court ruled the lawsuits will go to trial, which may not take place until after the release of Michael in April next year.
Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's nephew, will play his uncle in the biopic. Photo / AP
The trial could potentially affect the film’s ticket sales, as well as pressurise the cast to effectively pick a side in the case, as Reed claims there is “too much evidence ... for anyone backing this narrative in the movie to have a clear conscience”.
However, asked at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty whether the allegations affected his decision to join the cast, Miles Teller said, “Regardless of what your opinion may be, Michael is one of the greatest to ever do it, if not the greatest. He deserves a movie to be made. I’m excited to be a part of it.”
At the SXSW premiere of his film Sing Sing, Colman Domingo agreed it was not his job “to judge”.
“As an artist, my job is to find humanity in all people — people who have been villainised, people who have been victimised,” he said.
“Whether you’re talking about a Michael Jackson film, about The Color Purple, about Bayard Rustin, I have a history of engaging with things that are more complicated to find the humanity in people. Everything’s not black and white.”
