Lionsgate is producing a biopic to portray the journey of musical legend Michael Jackson, and the cast and trailer are getting fans excited ahead of its premiere in 2026.
In the trailer, Jaafar performs the iconic moonwalk and “Thriller” choreography. The story follows the life of the pop legend on stage and behind the scenes. It starts from his early career to his top solo performances in front of large crowds.
Oscar-winning Director Fuqua said, “Casting the role of the young Michael was more difficult than casting the adult role, because where do you find a child actor with the chops of the greatest entertainer who ever lived? In the end, that was our focus — talent — and we looked far and wide for an actor who could embody Michael’s spirit through his voice, his charisma, and his dance skills. Juliano’s undeniable, raw talent put him at the top of our list.” Here is the Michael Jackson biopic trailer that features a few cast members below
While filming began in Jan 2024, the biopic cast wrapped filming in May 2024. The cast of Michael Jackson’s Biopic, playing the 5 Jacksons, includes Jaafar Jackson and Juliano Krue Valdi as Michael Jackson, Joseph David-Jones and Nathaniel Logan McIntyre as Jackie, Jamal R. Henderson and Jayden Harville as Jermaine, Tre Horton and Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Marlon, and Rhyan Hill and Judah Edwards as Tito Jackson.
Other cast members of the 2026 Michael biopic are Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller as attorney John Branca. The movie is set to be released worldwide on April 24, 2026.
Meet the Cast of Michael Jackson’s Biopic
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson
He is the son of Jermaine Jackson, an older brother of Michael. This role will be his debut role, setting a path for him in the acting industry. The 26-year-old, who is excited about his first role, has a striking resemblance from clothing to aura to visuals.
Juliano Krue Valdi as Michael Jackson
Juliano Valdi is an African-American playing young Jackson, along with Jaafar. He is known for his impersonations of celebrities on social media, which have garnered him an active fan base in love with his craft. He replaced Jaeden White as a child actor on the current voice of Clyde McBride from “Summer Camp: Ticked Off”.
Joseph David-Jones as Jackie
He has appeared in The CW’s Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Jones enjoys supporting children from underprivileged communities like Save the Children Foundation. He is also good with musical instruments like the guitar and the piano.
Nathaniel Logan McIntyre as Jackie
McIntyre plays young Jackie Jackson. He is known for his roles in Barry, a Netflix story on the political career of the former USA President Barack Obama. His other roles include David Makes Man and Magic Camp. Meanwhile, he currently features as young Simba in The Lion King on Broadway.
Jamal R. Henderson as Jermaine
Jamal R. Henderson will appear as Jermaine Jackson. Further, the actor is a fitness enthusiast and practices Kickboxing in his free time. Moreso, he also appeared in BET’s feature film South Central Love and Netflix’s Mindhunter.
Jayden Harville as Jermaine
Jayden Harville is another cast member of Michael Jackson’s biopic, making his film debut. He goes on to play the younger version of Jermaine who is Michael’s elder brother.
Tre Horton as Marlon
Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Marlon
Hunter is a singer-songwriter of Spanish heritage. He started his acting journey at 7 years old and attended the Young Actors Guild in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition, he dances and acts, spending three years as Young Simba in Disney’s The Lion King during the Rafiki National Tour.
Rhyan Hill as Tito Jackson
Rhyan Hill is a actor known for his singing and dancing. He appears as a regular on BET, playing Devontae on “The Michael Blackson Show”. You might remember him in series like Lovecraft Country and Grey’s Anatomy.
Judah Edwards as Tito Jackson
The Black American actor is the voice behind animated shows like Tin in the American English version of Dee & Friends in Oz. Edwards was on the Hulu psychological series Saint X in 2023
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