Michael Jackson’s Nephew Jaafar Wears Singer’s Iconic Varsity Jacket on Set of Michael Biopic

Jaafar will make his acting debut in the biopic about the King of Pop, out April 18, 2025

Jaafar Jackson on set of ‘Michael’. PHOTO: BACKGRID

The cast and crew behind Michael Jackson’s new biopic — including the icon’s nephew Jaafar Jackson — are committed to keeping the singer’s legacy alive through costume.

New photos were released on Friday of Jaafar, who will make his acting debut in Michael as the titular character, wearing an old-school costume, reminiscent of his uncle’s love for varsity jackets, while filming in L.A.

Jaafar Jackson wears uncle Michael Jackson’s varsity jacket while filming “Michael” in L.A.BACKGRID

The actor (whose dad is Jermaine Jackson) was photographed in a red-and-white varsity jacket with a patch, similar to the one Michael wore during his “Bad” days in the late 1980s. The iconic singer wore the jacket during a visit to Japan, as seen in photos captured here.

The nostalgic clothing item was often worn by the King of Pop in the 1980s. For his 14-minute music video for “Thriller” in 1983, he wore a similar leather jacket with a yellow “M” patch on the front.

Michael Jackson wearing the “M” jacket from the “Thriller” music video.RON GALELLA/RON GALELLA COLLECTION VIA GETTY

Since Michael (directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Graham King) began filming in January, fans have gotten glimpses of Jaafar’s transformation into the iconic performer, who died in 2009 at age 50.

The Jacksons’ uncanny resemblance was evident in a set of photos released in February, which shows Jaafar dressed up as a young Michael.  It made the film’s release on April 18, 2025, that much more anticipated.

“It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life,” Fuqua said in a statement to Variety shared last January. “There was such a spiritual connection when I first met Jaafar, who has a natural ability to emulate Michael and such a great chemistry with the camera.”

Fuqua also previously said that the team behind the project consists of “incredible” hair and makeup artists and costume designers, cinematography, choreography and lighting artists, and even some “who knew and worked with Michael.”

“But most importantly, it’s Jaafar who embodies Michael. It goes beyond the physical resemblance. It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way. You have to experience it to believe it,” he added.

Jaafar has previously shared how he feels about honoring his uncle in such a meaningful way.

“I’m humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life,” he wrote on Instagram in January. “To all the fans all over the world, I’ll see you soon,” he added.

Colman Domingo and Nia Long will also star in the film as Mich