Michael Jackson Biopic Finds Its Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 have found their harmony once again for the upcoming biopic “Michael” from director Antoine Fuqua and Oscar-winning producer Graham King.
After a worldwide search led filmmakers to cast Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, as the King of Pop, with 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi as the younger Michael, fans have been eagerly waiting to see who would round out the rest of the Jackson family.
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The film, which is scheduled to hit theaters on April 18, 2025, is currently in production. Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo assumes the role of family patriarch Joe Jackson with Nia Long as mother Katherine Jackson, plus Miles Teller as lawyer John Branca.
Now, the eight actors who will portray Jackson’s four brothers — who come together to form the massively popular singing group the Jackson 5 — have been revealed: Jamal R. Henderson plays Jermaine Jackson in the film’s later years, while Jayden Harville plays the younger version. Tre Horton and Jaylen Lyndon Hunter share the role of Marlon Jackson; Rhyan Hill and Judah Edwards are Tito; and Joseph David-Jones and Nathaniel Logan McIntyre play the elder and younger versions of Jackie Jackson, respectively.
“The truly epic nature of this film required a total of ten actors with the talent to portray the Jackson 5 through the years,” said King announcing the casting. “I’m thrilled to bring this extraordinary group of actors and performers to worldwide audiences in this film.”
Younger Jermaine actor Harville (15, from Newport Beach, Calif.) makes his film debut in the movie, but began his career with Disney Jr. in a commercial for “Doc McStuffins” when he was five. Younger Marlon actor Hunter (14, born in Granada, Spain) is a stage veteran, who made his Broadway debut in “The Lion King” as Young Simba in 2021 and previously played a young Marlon, as well as understudied the role of young Michael, on the national tour of “MJ: The Musical.” Younger Tito actor Edwards (a native of South Orange, N.J.) has appeared on Hulu’s “Saint X” and voiced characters in Netflix’s “ADA Twist” and Nickelodeon’s “Blaze And The Monster Machines,” among other roles. McIntyre (a New York native) is best known for his roles on OWNs’s “David Makes Man,” the Disney+ movie “Magic Camp” and Netflix’s “Barry,” as well as playing a Young Simba in Disney’s “The Lion King,” both on tour and on Broadway.
As for the actors playing the older Jackson brothers: Henderson, who plays Jermaine, is a model-turned-actor whose credits include Netflix’s “Mindhunter” and the BET movie “South Central Love.” Horton, who plays Marlon, is a stage veteran with roles in such productions as “Amen Corner,” “A Chorus Line” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Hill, who plays Tito, is a series regular on BET+’s “The Michael Blackson Show” and has appeared on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Lovecraft Country,” as well as serving as a featured performer in Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” music video. David-Jones, who plays Jackie, will next be seen starring in the CW’s reimagining of “The 4400,” after playing Connor Hawke a.k.a. the Green Arrow on the CW’s “Arrow” and “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.”
“Michael” is produced by King and the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, Branca and John McClain. Fuqua directs from a script by Oscar-nominee John Logan. Lionsgate is distributing the film domestically, while Universal Pictures International will handle all territories apart from Japan, which Lionsgate will oversee.
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