THE stories of three legendary singers will be told in cinemas this year – and by far the most controversial is a movie recalling the life of Michael Jackson.
In 2025, Emmy-winner Jeremy Allen White will play Bruce Springsteen, Wonka star Timothee Chalamet is tipped for Oscar glory as Bob Dylan, and newcomer Jaafar Jackson appears as the King of Pop.
On the face of it, Jaafar has the toughest task when it comes to winning over critics.
The 28-year-old has never acted before and the movie, simply titled Michael, is widely expected to gloss over accusations of inappropriate behaviour towards young boys by the late singer.
But Jaafar does have one major advantage over his big-screen rivals — the Jacksons are literally in his genes.
He is Michael’s nephew and grew up alongside the superstar’s three orphaned children.
Jaafar was reported to have even shot at one of them while playing with a stun gun when he was 13.
He was brought up in an atmosphere as bewildering as the bizarre world of the sprawling Jackson clan.
Jaafar’s dad is Michael’s brother Jermaine and his mum is Alejandra.
She had two children with Jermaine’s younger brother Randy, now 63, before moving on to his sibling.
By the time Jaafar was eight his parents’ marriage was over, sparking a bitter custody battle.
It resulted in the Jackson family taking legal action to eject Jaafar and his mum from their home.
Three-times-married father-of-seven Jermaine, 70, has been guiding his son’s rise to stardom.
In an exclusive interview, Michael’s cousin Keith, who knows Jaafar, reveals the family believe the latest Jackson project off the pop production line could one day be filling stadiums and arenas himself.
Keith, 61, says: “He has been groomed for a long time by his dad, who is always keeping his son in mind, so he is ready for the global stage.
“Jaafar’s own music is great. He would like to do stadium tours.
“He is really talented and has a beautiful voice. To me personally, I think his voice is better than Michael’s. I shouldn’t say that but I think he’s very talented.”
Jaafar needs that ability, because he is expected to sing up to 30 of Michael’s songs in the movie.
The film’s makers had to get the family’s backing in order to secure the rights to recreate hits including Billie Jean and Thriller.
And the Jackson estate is very protective of Jacko’s image, denying claims the singer made sexual advances towards under-age boys, even though Michael made an out-of-court settlement in 1994 with the family of Jordan Chandler, who said he had been molested aged 13.
Michael was cleared of sex abuse in a criminal trial in 2005 and is still adored by his fans.
He is the world’s highest-earning dead celebrity, raking in around £100million a year, and the family estate is reportedly worth more than £1.5billion.
Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo, who plays the Jackson siblings’ controlling father Joe in the film, has said it will “humanise Michael — and really show the making of Michael and who he is” while not shying away from the more “controversial” subject matter.
The story will cover Michael’s life, from the formation of The Jackson 5 in 1964, when he was five, to his untimely death from a drug overdose in 2009 aged 50.
Despite countless bust-ups, most of the Jackson family remained close.
Jermaine’s family lived in a compound in Encino, California, which was owned by Michael.
There, the troubled singer would hang out with Jaafar and his siblings.
Keith says: “Michael knew his nephew had a sparkle. I used to see Jaafar and the other kids when I would go to the house.
“I used to see him playing as a kid and running around the house.”
Jaafar also used to visit his uncle at his Neverland ranch in Santa Barbara, California.
The actor said in 2020: “I recall being at Neverland, playing hide and seek, going on rides, watching movies and just having a great time.”
Life, though, for Jaafar was something of a rollercoaster.
His parents broke up in 2004, sparking a bitter divorce and custody battle.
Three years later, Jermaine claimed he did not have the funds to support his ex-wife, even though he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK in 2007 alongside Jade Goody.
Alejandra said she could not afford to pay her bills and expressed fears about a new relationship her ex-husband had started.
She said at the time: “I have concerns regarding Jermaine’s sleeping accommodations for our children while they are in his care.
“I believe it is unhealthy for our children to sleep in the same bedroom with Jermaine and his girlfriend.”
Jaafar and his younger brother Jermajesty, 24, lived with their mum at the Encino, seeing Jermaine on alternating weekends.
By 2008 they came to an agreement where Alejandra had custody of the two boys, but the peace was short-lived.
This time it was Jermaine’s lawyers who alleged Jaafar’s mum was unfit to look after him.
In early 2009, both boys were briefly taken into state care after Jermajesty told a teacher that Alejandra had been slapping him.
According to press reports, the Department of Child Services was called in again in March 2010.
By this time Michael had died and his three children, Prince, 27, Paris, 26, and 21-year-old Blanket, who is now called Bigi, were being looked after by their grandmother Katherine, in the Encino compound.
The social workers were said to have responded to claims that Jaafar had fired a stun gun in the direction of Blanket, then seven.
But in a statement, the family said Jaafar had “received a package with a stun gun he ordered online.
They said: “Jaafar opened the package alone in his bathroom and tested it on a piece of paper.”
Matters then turned nasty, with Jaafar’s grandmother asking Alejandra to move out and her refusing.
By the following year, the Jackson estate resorted to going to court to evict her and the two children.
To me personally, I think his voice is better than Michael’s. I shouldn’t say that but I think he’s very talented
Keith Jackson on Jaafar
They eventually moved to a mansion in star-studded Malibu, but struggled to pay the huge rent as their money problems mounted, including late payment of child support by Jermaine.
His third marriage to Halima Rashid ended in acrimony as well in 2016, with his then-wife being arrested for domestic violence.
No charges were brought, but it did end their 12-year relationship.
In the midst of all this, Jaafar was envisioning a future playing golf — something he practised every day.
Keith says: “I never knew that Jaafar would become as talented as he is today, because when he was younger I didn’t even know he could sing.
“So it was kind of a shock to find out that he could sing and he has this voice, you know. His dad has a great voice.”
Jaafar’s ambitions changed when he was 12, after his father suggested learning The Jackson 5 song Touch.
Keith continues: “From then he started to put all his focus into music.”
Jaafar, whose aunts are fellow pop stars Janet and La Toya Jackson, made his first live performance in 2018 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and a year later released his first single Got Me Singing.
It wasn’t a hit, but the new Jackson movie is sure to relaunch his career.
Colman says that “once-in-a-lifetime talent” Jaafar is so much like the King of Pop on screen that “you’ll think you’re looking at AI”.
The big question is whether Jaafar will be able to cope with the pressure of fame.
Keith, whose dad Luther was a guitarist who played in a blues band with Joe Jackson, says: “I think he’ll be able to handle the fame that this movie brings with it.
“I mean, he’s born into fame so it’s not going to be an issue. Jaafar is very used to the pressure because it’s something that the Jackson family has had to deal with for a long time.”
Despite all the turmoil in his life, Jaafar remains level-headed.
Keith adds: “I’ve known him since he was little and he’s got a normal personality as a young man — very friendly and kind of quiet.
“I say a young man but he’s older . . . just a very respectful man. He learned all these traits pretty young because his auntie instilled these in everyone, from his dad to Michael and the brother.
“Even my parents were raised like that.”
And Keith feels certain that Jaafar will not let his uncle down.
He says: “I’m sure Michael will be so proud that he, his own nephew, took on this role.”
