Colman Domingo and Nia Long have been spotted on the set of Micheal, the Michael Jackson biopic in which the pair are due to play the King of Pop's parents. The film began shooting this week, with a number of child actors also spotted on set to play the young versions of the Jackson 5. Jackson's real-life nephew Jafaar is set to play the King of Pop himself during his adult years.
The film is being directed by Antonio Fuqua, best known for Training Day and the Equalizer trilogy. Fuqua has said the film will try to encapsulate Jackson's legacy as a "brilliant yet complicated man". However, there have been some concerns about the film's objectivity as it has been given the approval of Jackson's estate. The film is due to be released in April 2025 and is already being considered as a frontrunner for the 2026 Oscars.
Who Are Colman Domingo & Nia Long?
As mentioned, Domingo and Long are playing Jackson's parents, Joe and Katherine. Domingo came up through Broadway to begin with, his breakout role was in The Scottsboro Boy, which earned him a Tony. He would later reprise his role in the West End revival. Later, he would go on to write the book for a Broadway production based on the life of Donna Summer. His mainstream film roles would come later, often finding himself cast as civil rights icons. However, his career would take a very different turn as he played X, a ruthless pimp in Zola, the film adaptation of a viral 2015 Twitter thread. He took on another terrifying role in The Color Purple, portraying "Mister", the protagonist's abusive husband. Also in 2023, he appeared as the lead in the civil rights biopic Rustin, for which he earned an Oscar nomination.
Meanwhile, best known for her comedy work, Long has been acting since the early 90s. She received acclaim for her dramatic role in Boyz n the Hood before becoming better known for comedic work. This includes the Big Momma's House and Are We There Yet? franchises in the early 2000s. However, she has the gravitas for drama. In 2023, she appeared in the uniquely-shot Missing as the kidnapped mother of the protagonist.
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