The film, which opened in theaters on Friday, April 24th, stars Jaafar Jackson, the nephew of Michael Jackson, as his uncle. Juliano Krue Valdi, a 12-year-old actor and dancer, plays the young Michael. The movie traces the singer’s rise from childhood in Gary, Indiana to stardom with The Jackson 5 and on to solo global superstardom.

The story focuses on the period from the 1960s through 1988, stopping before the later controversies that surrounded the artist. In an interview with Black Girl Nerds, Long, whose roots extend to Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Grenada, spoke about approaching the role of Katherine Jackson with empathy rather than judgment. “I wouldn’t say judgment,” she explained.

“I would definitely say empathy, and I would say that I have more in common with her than I ever thought I did.” Long said portraying Katherine required tapping into her own experiences as a mother, emphasizing the protective instinct that defines the role. “Once you’re a mother and you’re connected to the wellness of your family and the wellbeing of your children, there’s an energy of protection that supersedes everything,” she said. “That was her job, that was her mission, that was her heart.” She described Katherine Jackson as a steady, grounding force during the family’s rise to global fame.

“When you look at what the Jackson family had to manage, the level of stardom, there had to be a quiet force leading the way,” Long said. “That’s what makes her such a beautiful woman.” Domingo, whose heritage traces back to Belize and Guatemala, also highlighted the importance of portraying Joe Jackson with complexity rather than one-dimensional judgment. “We started by having great conversations about men that we know, that we’re raised by, men of a certain generation,” Domingo said, noting that Joe Jackson represented a generation shaped by responsibility, discipline, and survival.

He emphasized that the role required acknowledging both strength and vulnerability. “Sometimes people think that they’re just hard in some ways, but we know their softness, we know their vulnerabilities,” he said. “And we care about these men deeply, and so we wanted to make sure that we really looked at Joe Jackson… with as much complexity as possible.” Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael offers audiences an intimate look at the family dynamics, sacrifices, and pressures that shaped the King of Pop’s early life and career.

The film also leaves room for a potential continuation, with Domingo hinting at the possibility of a second installment exploring later chapters of Jackson’s life. Michael Jackson, who rose to fame with The Jackson 5 before becoming a global superstar, died in 2009 at age 50. He was acquitted in a 2005 criminal trial and consistently maintained his innocence against allegations made during and after his lifetime.

His nephew does a great job of channeling Michael’s signature look, executing his iconic choreography, embodying his voice, recreating his mannerisms, and getting into his headspace. When it comes to the music, featuring hits from across Jackson’s early career, does Jaafar provide the vocals in the musical movie? The answer is both yes and no.

When asked if he lent his voice to the project, Jaafar replied, “When I was doing all the performances, I was actually singing out live in the microphone on top of Michael’s track.” He went on to explain that the final product is “a blend” of his vocals and Michael’s together. But there are a few key moments that saw Jaafar on his own in front of a microphone. On more than one occasion, Michael takes its audience into the studio to watch the titular star record a few of his biggest hits.

We then cut between Michael singing with and without a backing track. In those instances, the audience is hearing pure Jaafar without his uncle’s blended-in vocals. “It’s actually me singing acapella,” the actor shared.

“Which was really fun to do.” With its focus on family, legacy, and the human stories behind global fame, Michael delivers not only a portrait of an icon, but also a deeper exploration of the people who helped shape his journey. Projected Opening: $85M – $95M+ domestically. Preview Earnings: $12.6 million total (including Wednesday previews and Thursday).

International Start: $18.5 million in 82 markets. Total Initial Gross: Already topped $44 million worldwide within its first couple of days. Records: It set records for the biggest opening day for a musical biopic in several ma