The 27-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson looks identical with his late uncle in the newly-released picture from 'Michael', leaving social media users in awe.
- Feb 14, 2024
AceShowbiz - Antoine Fuqua's Michael Jackson biopic is not coming until 2025, but fans are so eager to see the movie. The hype surrounding "Michael" has increased after Lionsgate and Universal unveiled the first official photo from the movie.
On Tuesday, February 13, the first still picture was debuted via GK Films' Instagram page. In the image, Jaafar Jackson copies his late uncle's look during "Man in the Mirror" performance from his 1992-1993 "Dangerous World Tour".
The 27-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson looks identical with the King of Pop with his long curly hair that was tied in low ponytail and a white T-shirt underneath a white unbuttoned shirt and black pants. He is drenched in sweats while singing passionately and holding a mic.
Kevin Mazur, who shot the image, previously worked with Michael. The photographer captured images of the "Thriller" singer's tours in the 1980s and '90s and the rehearsals as he prepared to entertain the world with his "This Is It" concerts.
"When I arrived for my first day on the set of this movie, I was so excited - it was like the first time I went on tour to shoot Michael Jackson," Kevin shared. "When I walked onto the set, I felt like I'd gone back in time and I was walking into the stadium to shoot the tour."
He went on gushing about Jaafar's portrayal of the late singer, "Seeing Jaafar perform, I thought, 'Wow, it is Michael.' The way he looks and acts, his mannerisms, everything - he's Michael Jackson. For anyone who didn't have the chance to see Michael perform live during his lifetime, this is how it was."
Many fans have seemingly agreed with Kevin despite only seeing it from the photo. "That's Michael right there," one person commented on the newly-released snap. Another stunned fan reacted, "That's jaafar?! Omg he looks just like mj!"
A third social media user excitedly said, "Is that actually Jafaar !??? Onggg if so wow." Another penned, "Thought it was mj himself at first glance omg ." Looking forward to the film, one other claimed, "Gonna be epic .. can't wait ... good job guys ..."
A sixth person praised the movie as writing, "The authenticity is amazing. It feels as if Michael from the Dangerous era was time traveled to the present!" while other comments read, "Unbelievable!!!" and "This is amazing WTH."
Antoine previously said in an interview with EW that he's "blown away" by Jaafar's "uncanny" resemblance to the late King of Pop. "It's uncanny how much he's like Michael," he said. "Sounds like him, dances like him, sings. It's really uncanny. Graham King, who is a fantastic producer, found him, and introduced him to me, and I was blown away."
The cast of the movie also includes Colman Domingo as Michael's father Joe Jackson, Nia Long as the matriarch Katherine Jackson, Juliano Krue Valdi as a young MJ and Miles Teller as Michael's attorney John Branca.
The biopic promises to "bring audiences a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man who became the King of Pop. The film presents his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale - from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified by his most iconic performances. As never before, audiences will experience an inside look into one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known." It is scheduled to arrive in U.S. theaters on April 18, 2025.
