Michael Jackson‘s son, Prince, is buzzing with excitement at his father’s upcoming biopic.
The eldest son of the late pop icon clued fans into his mood by treating fans to their very first glimpse of his cousin, Jaafar Jackson, as the King of Pop in the Antoine Fuqua-directed film, “Michael.”
Prince Jackson Lends High Praise To Cousin Following’ First Look’ At ‘Michael’
On Tuesday, Prince uploaded a singular image depicting Jaafar, Jermaine Jackson’s son, recreating a specific moment from Michael’s ’90s Dangerous Tour, captured by photographer Kevin Mazur.
In the photo, the 27-year-old bears a striking resemblance to the “Thriller” hitmaker as he sings into a microphone. He is seen donning a white V-neck inner, a matching long-sleeve shirt, and black trousers. Alongside the replicated snap, Prince penned:
“Super excited to share with y’all the first look of #MichaelMovie starring my cousin @jaafarjackson! This project has had so many special moments for me and everyone involved. This photo was taken by my dad’s concert photographer @kevinmazur who was there for my dad’s last rehearsal and Jaafar’s first performance!”
After appreciating his fans for celebrating his birthday with him, the 27-year-old gave a special shout-out to his cousin. In his words:
“Special thanks to my cousin @jaafarjackson watching you perform and work your butt off is the closest I’ll ever come to watching my dad in concert and it’s been a dream come true! Proud of you cuz!”
Within hours of the post going live, thousands of Instagram users trooped into the comment section to air their disbelief at the physical similarity between Jaafar and his late uncle.
“1 thought this was Michael 🤯,” one person typed, as another strongly agreed, “Holy s—t, they look identical,” and a third emphasized, “l REALLY THOUGHT I REUPLOADED A PHOTO OF MICHAEL, GOD THIS IS AMAZING THIS WILL BE THE BEST BIOGRAPHICAL FILM OF ALL TIME.”
A fourth online personality expressed, “I’m really excited about the movie; I’m sure it will be PERFECT. All the best to you and your family always,” and a fifth chimed in with, “Holy moly! I thought this WAS your dad. Wow.”
This Instagram user highlighted Michael’s legacy: “Michael Jackson will live forever. Long live the King of Pop,” and yet another reiterated, “Jaafar looks so great. I can’t believe my eyes.”
Jaafar received similarly high praise in January when he shared a picture showcasing him in a dance pose reminiscent of the late pop star’s moves. In the accompanying caption, he had written, “I’m humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life. To all the fans all over the world, I’ll see you soon.”
According to director Fuqua, choosing Jaafar to play his uncle was “spiritual.” In his words, “It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life. There was such a spiritual connection when I first met Jaafar, who has a natural ability to emulate Michael and such great chemistry with the camera.”
Fuqua Applauded Nia Long Ahead Of Her Bringing Michael’s Character To Life
The “Michael” biopic is currently in production and set for release on April 18, 2025. Weeks before the release of its first look, Lionsgate announced that actress Nia Long bagged the role of Michael’s mom, Katherine Jackson.
Effusing over the actress’ latest accomplishment thanks to her stellar acting skills, director Fuqua declared:
“Nia has delivered iconic performances throughout her career. I’ve been a fan for a long time because her characters stay with you. I’m excited to now work alongside her as she pours all of that into Katherine Jackson: a woman who was the glue, rock, and heart of the Jackson family during its best and most turbulent times.”
Meanwhile, Long — who gained prominence following her performance in “Boyz n the Hood” — detailed in her own statement:
“Katherine Jackson is an incredible pillar of strength and grace for the entire Jackson family. As a mother, she was selfless and endured forces beyond her control yet still managed to help build a legacy beyond measure. I am honored to bring her voice to the screen and share Michael Jackson’s story with audiences everywhere.”