Antoine Fuqua Recreated the “Thriller” Video in Its Original Location Under a Full Moon
The cast of the Michael Jackson biopic talk about the real-life relationships behind the film and what it was like recreating the legendary "Thriller" video.
What does it take to play one of the most famous entertainers ever to walk the Earth? This is the question that Jaafar Jackson wrestled with as he took on the role of Michael Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s biopic Michael.
Jaafar is Michael’s nephew — his father is Jermaine Jackson — and bears a striking resemblance to the iconic pop star, but this film is his acting debut. “I started working with an acting coach,” he explained. “I didn’t know anything about acting, and it was first really understanding what that is before even trying to dive into Michael.”
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Jackson worked hard for over a year to get his uncle’s quirks and mannerisms down, and based on what the world has seen so far in the trailer, his performance is uncanny. Joining him in the film are Colman Domingo as the family patriarch Joe Jackson, Nia Long as mother Katherine, and Juliano Valdi (also making his feature film debut) as a younger version of Michael.
Ahead of Michael’s release, Fuqua and the cast sat down with Fandango correspondent Jacqueline Coley for the film’s Big Ticket interview, talking about the real-life relationships depicted in the film, how Jaafar channeled his late uncle, and what it was like to recreate the legendary music video for “Thriller.”
Watch the full Big Ticket interview and check out more episodes of Fandango’s brand new Big Ticket Podcast.
Michael opens in theaters on April 24, 2026. Get your tickets here.
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