Fans impressed by Jaafar Jackson in new Michael Jackson biopic

Jaafar Jackson is receiving widespread praise on social media for his performance in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic.

The artist is set to make his professional acting debut playing his famous uncle in the Lionsgate film “Michael.”

The film is set to be released in April and features a cast including Colman Domingo, Nia Long and Miles Teller, among others.

Despite his lack of acting roles, Jaafar Jackson received positive feedback for his performance from viewers online as well as industry figures reacting to the trailer.

Lionsgate Releases First Trailer for Jaafar Jackson’s Michael Jackson Biopic

The new wave of praise surrounding Jackson on social media follows Lionsgate’s release of the first full trailer for “Michael.”

The roughly two-minute trailer was uploaded to Lionsgate’s official YouTube channel earlier this week.

The studio had already offered fans a glimpse of Jackson’s portrayal of Michael through an official teaser released in late 2025.

The clip quickly racked up millions of views online. Even at this point, the comments section was flooded with as many compliments for the A-list actor as for his uncle.

Viewers suggest Jaafar Jackson was born to play Michael Jackson

When the child of a prominent Hollywood figure lands a role as prestigious as Jackson’s in “Michael,” questions are often asked about his qualifications. As a result, the term “baby nepo” has arguably become a common phrase in pop culture.

In this case, however, the early signs seem to bode well for Jackson. Viewers and industry figures reacted equally positively to his performance as Michael Jackson.

One fascinated viewer on X compared the experience of watching Jackson in the trailer to seeing Michael Jackson reborn.

“The way he moves…it’s genetic memory,” the user wrote. “You can’t teach this level of precision. We’re seeing a resurrection.”

The resemblance was also recognized by the film’s creators. In a 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Antoine Fuqua recalled how struck he was by the similarities.

“[He] It looks like him, dances like him, sings,” Fuqua said. “It’s really strange.”

Colman Domingo also thrilled his fans with his portrayal of Joe Jackson

Jackson isn’t the only actor to receive plaudits for his performance in “Michael.” Domingo’s appearance in the trailer also got tongues wagging, with some viewers already buzzing for the actor’s awards.

In the film, Domingo is joined by Nia Long to play Michael Jackson’s parents, Joe and Katherine.

The “Euphoria” star sparked excitement on social media over her physical resemblance to Joe in the film. However, it was her intimidating performance that has already started to spark talk of prestigious awards.

“Colman Domingo is scary as F-CK in this clip,” the fan wrote on X. “He wins all the Best Supporting Actor awards I’m afraid.”

Another user reiterated this sentiment, arguing that an Oscar is a foregone conclusion.

“Colman Domingo, your 2027 Oscar is ready, sir,” the fan said.

Jaafar Jackson remembers spending time with his uncle in Neverland

Jackson’s portrayal of his uncle in “Michael” also draws on real-life memories the actor has from his childhood.

In 2020, Jackson was interviewed by the South China Morning Post about these experiences and he described this period of his life in a positive tone.

“I remember going to Neverland, playing hide and seek, going on rides, watching movies and having a good time,” Jackson said.

Some fans think ‘Michael’ could become the first biopic to reach $1.5 billion

The hype surrounding the release of “Michael” is becoming so great that some are already making very bold predictions about the film’s cultural and financial impact.

Based on the first clips of the film that fans have seen so far, Jackson is already tipped to become the first biopic in history to gross $1.5 billion at the box office.

“‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ made $900 million, so I think ‘Michael’ will make well over $1 billion,” one user wrote on Reddit.