“Michael” Costumer Says Michael Jackson ‘Came Through’ Nephew Jaafar During His Performance (Exclusive)
“Michael” Costumer Says Michael Jackson ‘Came Through’ Nephew Jaafar During His Performance (Exclusive)
Hedy PhillipsMon, April 27, 2026 at 2:35 PM UTC
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Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'.Credit: Lionsgate -
Costume designer Marci Rodgers tells PEOPLE how surreal it was to watch Jaafar Jackson take on the role of his uncle Michael Jackson
Michael's family members have also spoken about how much Jaafar embodied the late King of Pop
Michael opened in theaters on April 24
If you ask those on the set of Michael, they'll tell you that Jaafar Jackson truly became his uncle Michael Jackson.
The 29-year-old actor, who is the son of Michael's brother Jermaine Jackson, transformed into the Grammy winner not only through costumes and mannerisms, but most of all when he sang. Jaafar sang Michael's hits, including "Thriller," "Beat It," "Bad" and more. For costume designer Marci Rodgers, it was otherworldly watching the younger Jackson perform for the film.
"Michael came through him," Rodgers tells PEOPLE. "A few times."
Rodgers says that Jaafar didn't "transform" into Michael; he was Michael, and she was in awe watching him.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'; Michael Jackson in 1983 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate; Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty
Prince Jackson, 29, Michael's son and one of the executive producers on the project, shared similar sentiments with ABC News on April 23.
"One of the greatest experiences of my life," Prince said of watching Jaafar in the role. "Growing up with Jaafar, as we did at Hayvenhurst [the Jackson family compound], as siblings, as cousins, making home movies, to now, here we are making a major motion picture about my father, his uncle, someone we both love very much. I had gotten the benefit of seeing Jaafar's kind of transformation over ... pictures that I had seen on a phone or a computer, but the first time that I saw him in person in his hair and makeup was really an emotional shock, because I had not seen my father in a long time. To see him ... Jaafar just embodied him and brought him back in that moment, and it was difficult to maintain and keep my composure, because I really just wanted to give him a hug in that moment, but I had to tell him, like, 'Jaafar, I'm proud of you, you're going to do great, but I need to take a little step outside and get some air.'"
Jaafar's uncle Jackie Jackson, Michael's older brother, got emotional talking about the movie with Entertainment Tonight at the premiere. Through tears, Jackie said of Jaafar's performance, "I got so emotional, 'cause he became Michael on that screen, and it brought tears to my eyes. He's incredible."
Jaafar said his family's reactions to his performance also make him emotional.
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He said after he did his screen test for the movie, he got a call from each uncle "individually."
"I just remember them getting emotional on the phone," he said. "I started to cry just hearing it from their words, because to me that's the truest and highest compliment I can get, as far as who I want to hear it from. The people that knew him closest, and they're the ones I looked up to as a kid and to hear how proud they are, how much support I have from them. First and foremost, my grandmother [Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother], who couldn't be more proud, and that makes me the happiest I can possibly be."
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'.Credit: Lionsgate
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Michael opened in theaters on April 24. The biopic about the late King of Pop, who died at age 50 on June 25, 2009, covers his story from the 1960s, when the Jackson 5 was starting to take off, up until the closing of the Victory Tour in 1988.
In addition to Jaafar, the cast includes Juliano Krue Valdi as a young Michael, while Colman Domingo portrays patriarch Joe Jackson.
The Antoine Fuqua-directed and John Logan-written biopic was developed with the blessing of many of the late Michael's family members.
It also stars Nia Long as Jackson matriarch Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller as lawyer-manager John Branca, Laura Harrier as producer Suzanne de Passe and Mike Myers as CBS Records exec Walter Yetnikoff.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
