Quick Answer: Jaafar Jackson is a 29-year-old American actor and singer, born on July 25, 1996, in Los Angeles. He is the son of Jermaine Jackson and the nephew of the late Michael Jackson. In April 2026, he made his acting debut playing his uncle in the blockbuster biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua — earning widespread critical praise for his performance despite the film receiving mixed overall reviews. He is currently one of the most-searched celebrities in the world.
If you’ve been anywhere near a cinema, a trending Twitter thread, or an entertainment news site in the past two weeks, you’ve seen the name Jaafar Jackson everywhere. He stepped out of relative obscurity and onto one of the biggest stages in Hollywood history — playing his own uncle, the King of Pop, in the 2026 biopic Michael.
But who exactly is Jaafar Jackson? Where did he come from? How did he prepare for the most demanding acting debut in recent memory? And what comes next?
This is the full story.
Who Is Jaafar Jackson?
Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson was born on July 25, 1996, in Los Angeles, California. He is the son of Jermaine Jackson — a founding member of the legendary Jackson 5 — and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, who was born in Colombia. That makes him the nephew of five of the most iconic names in music history: Michael, Jackie, Tito, Marlon, and Randy Jackson. His aunts are Janet Jackson, La Toya Jackson, and Rebbie Jackson.
Growing up in Encino, California — the same neighbourhood where the Jackson family had lived for decades — Jaafar was quite literally surrounded by music royalty from birth. And yet, as a child, his first passion wasn’t music or acting at all. It was golf.
“As a young child, Jaafar had aspirations of being a professional golfer,” his official IMDB biography notes. It’s a detail that surprises most people discovering him for the first time — a Jackson family member who nearly chose fairways over stages.
But the gravitational pull of music eventually won out. By the age of 12, he began studying piano seriously and developing what collaborators describe as a “timeless tenor voice.” His musical tastes, shaped by a household steeped in soul and pop history, gravitated toward Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Nat King Cole, and Johnny Mathis — the legends his father and uncle had grown up worshipping.
Jaafar Jackson’s Family — The Full Picture
Understanding Jaafar means understanding the Jackson family, one of the most extraordinary dynasties in entertainment history.
His father: Jermaine Jackson Jermaine was a central figure in the original Jackson 5, the group that launched Michael Jackson’s career in the late 1960s. As a solo artist and Jackson 5 member, Jermaine charted hit after hit and remains one of the most recognisable names in the family’s legacy.
His uncle: Michael Jackson The King of Pop needs no introduction. Michael died on June 25, 2009 — when Jaafar was just 12 years old. The two had a relationship, with Jaafar recalling visits to Neverland Ranch during the holidays, playing hide and seek, riding attractions, and watching movies with his uncle. It’s a connection that makes his eventual casting in the biopic all the more emotionally layered.
His siblings Jaafar is one of 11 children. He has a younger brother, Jermajesty (born 2000), an adopted brother named Donte, and eight half-siblings from his parents’ previous relationships. On his father Jermaine’s side, he has four older half-brothers (Jeremy, Jordynn, Jaimy, and Jermaine Jr.) and two half-sisters (Autumn and Dawn). His mother Alejandra was previously in a relationship with Jermaine’s brother Randy, with whom she had Jaafar’s half-siblings Genevieve and Randy Jr. — making his family tree one of the most intricate in Hollywood.
His cousins: Michael Jackson’s children Jaafar’s cousins include Paris Jackson, Prince Michael Jackson, and Bigi Jackson — Michael’s three children. Notably, Paris Jackson filed a legal objection over aspects of the biopic’s production, reflecting the complicated family dynamics surrounding the film.
His grandmother: Katherine Jackson Matriarch of the Jackson dynasty, Katherine gave her blessing to Jaafar’s casting, stating publicly that he “embodies” her late son Michael. Her approval carried enormous weight — both emotionally for the family and strategically for the film’s reception.
Early Career — Before the Biopic
Before Michael turned him into a global name overnight, Jaafar had been quietly building his presence in the entertainment world.
Music: He began his music career at 12, studying piano and developing his voice. In 2019, he released his debut single “Got Me Singing” — a smooth R&B track that showcased his natural talent but didn’t make major commercial waves. He covered songs by Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye in various appearances, hinting at both his classical music influences and his vocal range.
Television: Jaafar appeared in the Jackson family reality show Living with the Jacksons in 2015, giving audiences their first real glimpse of the next generation. He also appeared in The Jacksons: Next Generation, another family-centric project.
Music video: In 2021, he and several other family members featured in the music video for Tito Jackson’s single “Love One Another” — a sweet, collaborative family project that kept the Jackson name in the public eye.
None of these were superstar-making moments. But they were building blocks — and they were watched closely by the team behind the Michael biopic as they searched for the right actor to carry the film.
How Jaafar Got the Role — The Casting Story
The search for someone to play Michael Jackson in a major Hollywood biopic was always going to be one of cinema’s most scrutinised casting processes. The Jackson estate spent years developing the project with director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Emancipation) and writer John Logan before a name was even floated.
In January 2023, the announcement came: Jaafar Jackson would make his professional acting debut as his uncle. The internet immediately split into two camps — those who felt it was a deeply poetic choice, and those who worried it was nepotism dressed up as destiny.
Fuqua and the producers argued the case clearly: Jaafar wasn’t chosen because of his surname alone. He had the physical resemblance — uncanny, in person and on camera — the genetic musical ability, and crucially, the personal emotional connection that no outside actor could ever fully replicate. He had actually been to Neverland. He had played with Michael as a child. He carried grief that was real, not performed.
Grandmother Katherine Jackson publicly confirmed her approval, and that endorsement silenced many early doubters.
Principal photography began on November 27, 2023, in Los Angeles.
How Jaafar Prepared for the Role
This is where the story becomes genuinely extraordinary.
Jaafar has spoken candidly about the pressure of playing Michael Jackson — a man whose every gesture, every vocal inflection, every moonwalk step is burned into the cultural memory of billions of people. Getting it wrong, in any performance scene, would be instantly, globally noticed.
His preparation was total. In conversation with co-star Miles Teller for Interview magazine, Jaafar revealed the key that unlocked the performance:
“What really helped was having access to Michael’s personal writings. His journaling, his poems, his mantras and affirmations — that was a breaking point for me. I started doing the same thing, applying affirmations on walls and mirrors.”
He spent months studying Michael’s movement, his vocal delivery, his stage presence. He worked with choreographers to master the dance sequences frame by frame. For the musical performances in the film, Michael Jackson’s own original, remastered vocals were used — meaning Jaafar’s job was to lip-sync and physically inhabit the performance with complete precision, ensuring that every movement matched the music audiences had heard a thousand times.
The result, according to the majority of critics and virtually all audience members, is startling. Even critics who were harsh on the film’s script consistently singled out Jaafar’s performance as a revelation.
The Michael Biopic — Jaafar’s Debut Performance
Michael (2026), directed by Antoine Fuqua, was released in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2026 and in the United States on April 24, 2026, by Lionsgate. The film premiered at the Uber Eats Music Hall in Berlin on April 10, 2026.
The film covers Michael Jackson’s early life — his childhood in Gary, Indiana, the formation and rise of the Jackson 5, and his early solo career spanning Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), and Bad (1987). The cast includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller as lawyer John Branca, and Laura Harrier as La Toya Jackson.
Box office: The film opened to record-shattering numbers. It made $39.5 million on its first day alone — surpassing Oppenheimer as the biggest opening day ever for a biographical film. In its opening weekend, it crossed $100 million at the U.S. box office and over $206 million globally, making it the best post-COVID opening for Lionsgate and the biggest opening ever for a musical biopic.
Critical reception: Here’s where it gets complicated. The film holds a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from over 200 critics’ reviews, with the consensus reading: “While Jaafar Jackson’s smooth moves bring the King of Pop to uncanny life, this musical biopic mostly plays like a ‘greatest hits’ album that could’ve benefitted from including liner notes to give actual insight into the icon.” Critics widely noted that the estate-approved film avoids Michael Jackson’s controversies, particularly the 1993 child sexual abuse allegations (references to which were removed during reshoots in June 2025).
However — and this is critical — the one thing critics agreed on was Jaafar Jackson himself.
Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman wrote that Jaafar “gets Michael’s tentative high sugary voice just right, but he also shows us how that famous personality evolves.” USA Today gave the film three stars and heralded “a new star in Jaafar Jackson.” Deadline’s Pete Hammond wrote that Jaafar “channels Uncle Michael in uncanny ways and simply sells this performance with all the right dance moves and sharp dramatic talent to make us believe Michael Jackson is once again with us.”
One social media reaction that went viral summed it up: “Jaafar Jackson is tremendous in MICHAEL, truly making you forget he isn’t the real thing. An off-the-charts performance.”
The audience score, meanwhile, sits at a staggering 96% — suggesting a huge disconnect between critical reception and fan response. Variety has already noted that Jaafar should be watched closely for Golden Globes consideration, and there is growing chatter about awards season recognition.
The film ends with the title card: “His Story Continues” — and Lionsgate chairman Adam Fogelson has confirmed internal discussions for a sequel.
Jaafar Jackson’s Personal Life
Relationship: Jaafar is engaged to Maddie Simpson, a singer and content creator. They announced their engagement in February 2025 after dating for several years. Simpson has been a consistent source of support throughout his preparation for the biopic, and the couple appeared together at the Berlin world premiere of the film in April 2026.
Personality and interests: Those who know Jaafar describe him as thoughtful, grounded, and deeply passionate about his craft. Outside of music and acting, he has a love for drawing, travelling, fashion, and architecture. His favourite places to visit outside the U.S. are Hong Kong and Austria. He dreams of one day collaborating with legendary producer Rick Rubin on a music project.
He is managed by Alex Avant — son of Clarence Avant, widely known as the “Godfather of Black Music” — a connection that signals serious, long-term career ambitions.
On Michael: Jaafar has said that he was just 12 when Michael died, and that the lost opportunity to learn directly from his uncle makes the biopic role even more meaningful to him. He has spoken about viewing the film as his chance to “have the conversation he never got to have” with the uncle he lost too early.
What’s Next for Jaafar Jackson?
Right now, Jaafar Jackson is at an inflection point that few entertainers ever reach on their very first project. The film around him may have divided critics, but he personally emerged from it as one of the most talked-about new faces in Hollywood.
The question every industry observer is asking: does he follow this with more acting, lean back into music, or build a career that straddles both worlds the way his family always has?
Given his years of musical training, his debut single “Got Me Singing,” and his stated dream of collaborating with Rick Rubin, a serious music career feels likely. His voice, his stage presence, and his musical lineage are all in place.
On the acting front, Hollywood has noticed. A debut performance that earns awards buzz — even in a film with a 38% critic score — is a calling card that opens extraordinary doors.
And if Lionsgate moves forward with a Michael sequel — one that covers the later, more complex chapters of Michael Jackson’s life — Jaafar would almost certainly return to a role he has already made his own.
Watch this space. The story has only just begun.
Quick Facts: Jaafar Jackson
| Full name | Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson |
| Born | July 25, 1996, Los Angeles, California |
| Age (2026) | 29 |
| Star sign | Leo |
| Father | Jermaine Jackson (Jackson 5) |
| Mother | Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza |
| Uncle | Michael Jackson (King of Pop) |
| Siblings | 11 including Jermajesty Jackson |
| Partner | Maddie Simpson (engaged Feb 2025) |
| Acting debut | Michael (2026) — Antoine Fuqua biopic |
| Music debut | “Got Me Singing” (2019) |
| Box office opening | $100M+ U.S., $206M+ worldwide |
| Rotten Tomatoes (Jaafar) | Universally praised by critics |
| Managed by | Alex Avant |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jaafar Jackson?
Jaafar Jackson is a 29-year-old American actor and singer, born July 25, 1996, in Los Angeles. He is the son of Jermaine Jackson and the nephew of Michael Jackson. He made his acting debut in the 2026 biopic Michael, playing his late uncle.
How is Jaafar Jackson related to Michael Jackson?
Jaafar Jackson is Michael Jackson’s nephew. His father is Jermaine Jackson — Michael’s older brother and a founding member of the Jackson 5. Jaafar knew Michael personally and spent time with him at Neverland Ranch as a child.
Did Jaafar Jackson sing in the Michael biopic?
No. In the Michael biopic, Michael Jackson’s original remastered vocals were used for the musical performances. Jaafar lip-synced and physically performed the dance sequences, which critics widely praised as uncannily convincing.
How old was Jaafar Jackson when Michael Jackson died?
Jaafar Jackson was 12 years old when Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009.
Is Jaafar Jackson nominated for any awards?
As of April 2026, formal nominations have not been announced. However, Variety has identified him as someone to watch for Golden Globes consideration, and industry observers believe his performance makes a strong awards case despite the film’s mixed critical reception.
What is Jaafar Jackson’s net worth?
Estimates in 2026 place his net worth at approximately $500,000, reflecting his early-stage career prior to the biopic’s release. This figure is expected to rise significantly following the film’s global success.
Who is Jaafar Jackson’s fiancée?
Jaafar Jackson is engaged to Maddie Simpson, a singer and content creator. They announced their engagement in February 2025.
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