There is a scene from the world premiere of Michael at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on April 21, 2026, that says everything. As the end credits rolled, the audience — Usher, Stevie Wonder, Magic Johnson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson among them — erupted into applause. Standing at the microphone, Jaafar Jackson, the film’s lead, closed the night with nine words: “I just hope that my uncle Michael is smiling from up above.” The room lost it.
That moment is the story of Jaafar Jackson in miniature: a young man carrying the weight of the most famous surname in pop music history, stepping into the shoes of a man he watched play family game day as a child — and pulling it off.
So who is Jaafar Jackson, and how did a kid who once dreamed of becoming a professional golfer end up playing the King of Pop in one of the most anticipated biopics in Hollywood history? The answer is more remarkable than most people know.
Quick Facts: Jaafar Jackson
| Full Name | Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson |
| Born | July 25, 1996, Queens, New York City |
| Raised | Encino, California |
| Nationality | American (Colombian-American heritage) |
| Profession | Actor, Singer-Songwriter |
| Known For | Playing Michael Jackson in Michael (2026) |
| Father | Jermaine Jackson (Jackson 5) |
| Estimated Net Worth | $500K–$1M+ (rapidly rising post-film) |
Early Life & Background: Growing Up a Jaafar Jackson
Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson was born on July 25, 1996, in Los Angeles. He is the son of Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, who was born in Colombia and had previously dated Randy Jackson. That last detail matters more than it sounds: Jaafar’s mother dated two Jackson brothers, meaning his family tree is tangled even by the standards of a clan with eleven children.
Growing up in Encino, California — the same gated suburb where the Jacksons had lived since the 1970s — meant something that no biography class can replicate: proximity to greatness. Jaafar was just 12 years old when Michael Jackson died in June 2009. Growing up in Encino, he would see Michael often at family gatherings and spent time at his uncle’s Neverland Ranch. “I remember just growing up, and we would have family time. Michael would come over to where I was growing up… and we’d have some days where we’d all get together, play family game day,” he told NBC’s Today show. “We’d have wonderful times at Neverland — just playing hide-and-go-seek, getting as much candy, going on rides, watching movies.”
That world disappeared when Michael died on June 25, 2009. Jaafar was 12. Whatever grief the private family navigated in the years that followed, it was done largely out of public view.
Jaafar Jackson’s Education & Formative Years: The Kid Who Wanted to Play Golf
Here is the detail that surprises people most about Jaafar Jackson: during his youth, he expressed aspirations of becoming a professional golfer. In a household where his father Jermaine had sung “I Want You Back” on The Ed Sullivan Show at age fourteen, where his uncle Michael had redefined every metric of what a performer could be — this kid wanted to play golf.
As a young child, Jaafar had aspirations of being a professional golfer. However, having grown up surrounded by a family of iconic entertainers in Encino, California his entire life, it was only natural that Jaafar eventually followed suit.
Music caught him at twelve. Beginning his music career at the tender age of 12, Jaafar became well versed in playing the piano and developed a wealth of knowledge of music and artistry. His taste ran old soul — he covered songs by Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye, and drew inspiration from Nat Cole and Johnny Mathis, artists who built entire careers on the emotional weight of a single note. For a Jackson, that lineage makes perfect sense.
In 2015, Jackson was a main cast member in the filming of his family’s reality show Living with the Jacksons. It was his first time in front of a camera. It would not be his last.
Jaafar Jackson’s Career Timeline: From SoundCloud to the Biggest Biopic of 2026
The Music Comes First (2019)
In 2019, Jaafar released his debut single “Got Me Singing,” a soulful track described as an independently produced work blending live instruments, rhythm and melody in a way that reflects his artistic ambition. It was a quiet debut — no viral moment, no label machine behind it. Just a 22-year-old with a voice and a name that could easily overshadow everything he made.
He followed with additional singles, appeared in Tito Jackson’s 2021 music video “Love One Another,” and slowly built the foundation of an artist who wanted to be taken on his own terms.
The Phone Call That Changed Everything (2020)
Despite having no prior acting experience, Jaafar was approached for the role by Michael producer Graham King in 2020. In lieu of a traditional audition, he sent King a voice note of himself in character as his uncle. King called back immediately.
What followed was not a quick booking. It was a two-year process — unprecedented for a role of this magnitude. Producer King said: “I met Jaafar over two years ago and was blown away by the way he organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael. What fascinated me is that Jaafar didn’t just move as Michael moved — he tapped into why Michael moved that way, what every gesture meant to Michael.”
That quote is key. This was never about finding a lookalike. It was about finding someone who understood Michael Jackson from the inside.
Keeping the Secret for a Year
Once cast, Jaafar kept his casting a secret from his entire family for a full year. “No one in my family knew for a full year,” he said. “I kept it pretty quiet until I felt comfortable enough to share it. But when my mom saw it on-screen, it blew her away. It was hard for her to connect it to me, so it was very emotional for her.”
His father Jermaine — one of the original Jackson 5, who performed with Michael for decades — had not even seen the film by the time of press. “I can’t wait for that,” Jaafar said.
How He Prepared for the Role
This is where Jaafar’s story becomes genuinely fascinating. In conversation with co-star Miles Teller for Interview magazine, Jaafar revealed how he prepared: “What really helped was having access to Michael’s personal writings. His journaling, his poems, his mantras and affirmations — that was a breaking point for me. I started doing the same thing, applying affirmations on walls and mirrors. It started with the voice, then the mannerisms and movements.”
He wasn’t impersonating his uncle. He was trying to understand him.
The Michael Biopic: What It Is and Why It Matters
Development began in November 2019, when producer Graham King secured the rights to produce a film about Michael Jackson. Lionsgate Films announced the film in February 2022. Antoine Fuqua was announced as director in January 2023, and Jaafar was cast that same month.
The production was anything but smooth. Following reshoots, the budget reportedly grew to $200 million, with new sequences adding a new ending. The film was delayed to 2026 with a final runtime of two hours and nine minutes.
The cast assembled around Jaafar is formidable: Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long plays Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller plays lawyer John Branca, Larenz Tate plays Berry Gordy, and Kendrick Sampson plays Quincy Jones.
The film covers Michael’s life from the Jackson 5 era through his early solo career, ending with the 1988 Bad World Tour concert in London.
Critical Reception: The Film vs. The Performance
The reviews that landed after Monday’s premiere draw a sharp distinction — and it’s one that matters for Jaafar personally.
The film itself sits at 27% on Rotten Tomatoes from 48 early reviews, with critics largely calling it sanitised and overly reverential. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the film “stops short of telling the whole story”, and several critics flagged its decision to end before the abuse allegations of the 1990s ever surfaced.
But Jaafar himself? Nearly universal praise. One early reaction read: “Jaafar Jackson is tremendous in Michael, truly making you forget he isn’t the real thing. An off-the-charts performance.”
Deadline’s Pete Hammond wrote that Jaafar “channels Uncle Michael in uncanny ways and simply sells this performance with all the right dance moves and sharp dramatic talent to make us believe Michael Jackson is once again with us.”
Owen Gleiberman of Variety called the film “a surprisingly effective middle-of-the-road biopic” and praised Jaafar’s performance specifically, noting it “nails the look, the voice, the electrostatic moves — and the mix of delicacy and steel that made Michael who he was.”
Perhaps most powerfully, La Toya Jackson — Michael’s own sister — gave the highest possible verdict: “I was flabbergasted. You think it’s Mike. You forget it’s Jaafar — you think it’s Michael.
Jaafar Jackson’s Personal Life & Family Dynamics
Jaafar’s personal life is deliberately low-key — a studied contrast to the fishbowl existence the Jackson name invites. He is managed by Alex Avant, son of legendary music executive Clarence Avant, known as the “Godfather of Black Music.” That management relationship signals serious intent: Clarence Avant’s rolodex is the music industry’s most storied.
He has a younger brother, Jermajesty Jermaine Jackson, born in 2000, as well as several half-siblings from his parents’ previous relationships. The family is large, intertwined, and fiercely protective.
His faith and artistic philosophy reflect the household he grew up in. He draws inspiration from Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Nat Cole and Johnny Mathis, and has spoken about wanting to be remembered as “an artist who makes great music by telling stories, all while inspiring people to be themselves.”
Jaafar Jackson’s Verified Social Media Handles
- Instagram: @jafaarjackson
- Twitter/X: @JaafarJackson
- Facebook: @jaafarjackson
Jaafar Jackson’s Net Worth & What Comes Next
Before Michael, Jaafar’s estimated net worth hovered around $500,000, reflecting his independent music releases and television appearances. That figure is almost certainly outdated by now. A starring role in a $200 million Lionsgate production, a red carpet shared with Usher and Stevie Wonder, and reviews calling your performance “off-the-charts” tend to accelerate things considerably.
The film opens globally on April 24, 2026. A sequel covering the later, more contested years of Michael’s life remains an open question — the epilogue card reading “His story continues” does some heavy lifting — but if it happens, Jaafar Jackson will almost certainly be at its centre.
Legacy & Impact: Why Jaafar Jackson Matters
The casting of Jaafar Jackson was always going to be debated. Too close to the subject. Too inexperienced. Too on-the-nose. Every criticism was predictable — and most of them have been answered by what critics saw on screen this week.
What Jaafar represents is something rarer than a great performance: a generational handoff. He is the first member of the Jackson family to carry the weight of Michael’s story forward in a mainstream, estate-sanctioned format. His grandmother Katherine Jackson, the woman who knew Michael longest, gave the blessing that meant most: “Jaafar embodies my son. It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy.”
He is 29 years old. He has released one single, appeared in a family reality show, and — as of this week — delivered a performance that veteran critics are comparing to the real thing.
That is not the beginning of a legacy. That is the legacy, starting.
FAQ: Who Is Jaafar Jackson?
Q: Who is Jaafar Jackson? A: Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson is a 29-year-old American singer-songwriter and actor. He is the son of Jermaine Jackson and the nephew of Michael Jackson. He plays Michael Jackson in the 2026 Lionsgate biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua — his debut acting role.
Q: How is Jaafar Jackson related to Michael Jackson? A: Jaafar is Michael Jackson’s nephew. His father is Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s older brother and original member of the Jackson 5. Jaafar grew up in Encino, California, and spent time with Michael at Neverland Ranch as a child.
Q: Did Jaafar Jackson have acting experience before the Michael biopic? A: No. Jaafar had no professional acting experience before being cast. Producer Graham King first approached him in 2020, and rather than a formal audition, Jaafar sent King a voice note of himself in character as his uncle. The process from first contact to confirmed casting took two years.
Q: How old was Jaafar Jackson when Michael Jackson died? A: Jaafar was 12 years old when his uncle Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009.
Q: What is Jaafar Jackson’s net worth? A: Before the Michael biopic, Jaafar’s net worth was estimated at around $500,000 from his music releases and television appearances. Following his lead role in the $200 million production and its global theatrical release in April 2026, that figure is expected to rise significantly.
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About This Article: This biography was written for general readers curious about Jaafar Jackson following the release of the Michael Jackson biopic Michael (April 24, 2026).