There are big debuts, and then there are debuts like this. Jaafar Jackson, a 29-year-old Los Angeles native, is stepping into the spotlight in a way that feels like a full-circle moment. As the latest name to emerge from one of the most mythologized families in entertainment, he’s taking on the role of his late uncle, Michael Jackson, in Michael, a project that also happens to mark his acting debut.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, the film traces Michael’s evolution from a child star in The Jackson 5 to a once-in-a-generation cultural force during the Bad era. But beyond the timeline, it’s the emotional weight of the role that makes this casting feel different. This isn’t just another biopic, and Jaafar isn’t just another actor stepping into a legend’s shoes. He’s navigating legacy, memory, and expectation all at once, with the world watching closely.
Here are five things to know about the rising star.
His father is Michael Jackson’s brother
The Jackson 5 runs deep in Jaafar Jackson’s family tree. His father, Jermaine Jackson, was part of the original lineup alongside his brothers Jackie, Tito, Marlon, and Michael Jackson. While Michael led the group vocally, Jermaine served as the second lead singer until 1975, when he stepped away to focus on a solo career. After his departure, the group brought in their youngest brother, Randy, and later reintroduced themselves as The Jacksons.
On his mother’s side, Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza was born in Colombia and later studied fashion design and marketing at UCLA. She has since launched her own label, Alejandra Jackson Designs.
Before her relationship with Jermaine, Alejandra was involved with his brother, Randy Jackson. Although they never married, the couple had two children together: a daughter, Genevieve, born in 1989, and a son, Randy Jr., born in 1992.
Alejandra and Jermaine eventually married on March 18, 1995. The following year, they welcomed Jaafar, and later had another son, Jermajesty, in 2000. The couple separated when Jermaine filed for divorce in 2004, which was finalized in 2008.
He is also a singer
Raised in a family where music was more or less part of the furniture, Jaafar Jackson naturally developed a wide-ranging ear. His influences stretch across eras and styles, from icons like Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder, Nat King Cole, and Johnny Mathis, alongside the unmistakable imprint of his own family’s legacy. He began exploring music seriously around the age of 12, teaching himself piano and gradually building a strong foundation in both technique and musical expression.
By 2019, he stepped into the spotlight with his debut single, Got Me Singing, paired with a music video filmed in Vidigal, a favela in Rio de Janeiro. The release quickly gained traction online, racking up over 10 million views on YouTube and marking his official entry into the industry.
Interestingly, despite his own musical background, Jaafar isn’t actually singing in Michael. Instead, the film relies on the original recordings, with the iconic tracks described by Deadline’s chief film critic Pete Hammond as “gloriously remastered and superbly lip-synched.”
He Has Muslim Roots
His father famously reverted to Islam after a trip to the Middle East in the late 1980s, a period when he was increasingly searching for spiritual grounding beyond the chaos of fame. During a visit to Bahrain in 1989, he was introduced to Islamic teachings in a more personal and immersive way, spending time with local families and scholars who helped him better understand the religion beyond surface-level perceptions.
What began as curiosity quickly turned into something more profound. Jermaine has spoken in interviews about being struck by the emphasis on discipline, humility, and community within Islam, values he felt were missing from the entertainment world he had grown up in. Shortly after that visit, he formally converted, describing the decision as a turning point that brought clarity and a renewed sense of purpose to his life.
Following his conversion, Jermaine became quite vocal about his faith, even traveling across parts of the Middle East and North Africa to speak about Islam and challenge misconceptions, particularly in Western media. He also incorporated elements of his beliefs into his lifestyle, from daily practices to raising his children within that framework.
This spiritual shift naturally shaped the environment Jaafar Jackson grew up in. In early 2020, he traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, a spiritual journey undertaken by millions of Muslims each year. Moments from the trip, including time spent in Mecca, were documented and shared across social media, offering a rare, more personal look at him outside of music and film.
He wanted to become a professional golfer
Before music fully took over, Jaafar Jackson had his sights set somewhere entirely different. As a teenager, he was deeply into golf and seriously entertained the idea of going pro one day. Still, carrying the Jackson name comes with its own gravity, and eventually, that pull steered him back toward music, where he began carving out a path as both a songwriter and performer.
There’s also a subtle, almost poetic link between that early passion and his family’s legacy. Michael Jackson’s iconic sequined glove was originally inspired by a golfing glove, an unexpected detail that neatly ties Jaafar’s childhood obsession back to the mythology surrounding his uncle.
He is engaged
When it comes to his personal life, Jaafar Jackson has kept things relatively low-key, though one constant has been his long-term relationship with singer Maddie Simpson. The couple has been together since 2016, quietly building a relationship that has now spanned nearly a decade, with their 10-year anniversary set for June 2026.
Their bond has, at times, played out publicly in small but meaningful ways. When Jaafar’s casting in the Michael biopic was announced in January 2023, Maddie shared a heartfelt message reflecting on the transformation she had witnessed firsthand. She spoke about his intense dedication to the role, describing the level of focus, care, and emotional investment he poured into it as something she had never seen before, while also noting how stepping into his uncle Michael Jackson’s shoes seemed to deepen his sense of purpose and self-belief.
Since then, the two have continued to show up for each other both privately and in public, including a joint appearance at the Berlin premiere of the film in 2026
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