Colman Domingo confirmed to play Joe Jackson in Michael Jackson biopic
Only days after being nominated for ‘Best Actor’ at the Oscars 2024, Colman Domingo has been cast as Michael Jackson’s father, Joe, in a forthcoming biopic about the late pop star.
Earlier this week, Domingo was nominated for ‘Best Actor’ at the Oscars 2024 for his performance as the influential civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in the Netflix movie Rustin. Other nominees include Bradley Cooper for his work in Maestro and Jeffrey Wright for his celebrated performance in American Fiction.
According to a new Variety report, Domingo will star in the new movie Michael as Joe Jackson, the father of the ‘Thriller’ singer. The film will also feature Michael’s actual nephew Jafaar, who will play the late performer, with nine-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi playing a younger version of the ‘King of Pop’.
Discussing being cast in the movie in Variety, Domingo said: “It’s exciting to do it with Jaafar. Jermaine Jackson’s son is playing Michael, and he is breathtaking, and I think Graham King, the producer, has assembled an incredible cast.”
He added: “I’m excited to be a part of a film that explores both the complicated soul of the legendary Michael Jackson as well as his impact on music and culture as a global icon. Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation.”
Michael is directed by Antoine Fuqua, best known for the films Training Day, Southpaw and The Equalizer trilogy. It is written by John Logan, who has previously worked on hit films such as Gladiator, The Aviator and the James Bond instalments, Skyfall and Spectre.
Production house Lionsgate has confirmed a theatrical release date for Michael as April 18th, 2025.
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