Meet the group of young actors who will join Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long and Colman Domingo in the Michael Jackson biopic.

Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson.

Updated 2/28/24 at 11:52 a.m. ET

With production beginning on “Michael,” the biopic chronicling the life and career of Michael Jackson, we’re getting more casting news about who will portray the legendary singer’s famous family members.

As previously reported by The Root, Oscar nominee Colman Domingo will play his father Joe Jackson, while Nia Long is set to portray his mother Katherine. Now, the young actors who will embody Michael’s brothers have been announced.

According to Deadline, Jayden Harville is young Jermaine and Jamal R. Henderson is older Jermaine; Jaylen Lyndon Hunter is young Marlon and Tre Horton is older Marlon; Judah Edwards is young Tito and Rhyan Hill is older Tito; Nathaniel Logan McIntyre is young Jackie and Joseph David-Jones is older Jackie.

We recently got a first look at Jaafar Jackson’s transformation into Michael, and it’s remarkable how much the young star looks like his uncle. One of Jermaine’s sons, Jaafar has clearly put in the work ahead of the highly-anticipated film.

Now that we know who’s playing the Jackson brothers, we’re not so patiently waiting to hear who will be cast as Michael’s sisters, Rebbie, LaToya and Janet.

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Prolific director Antoine Fuqua’s biopic “Michael” certainly won’t be the first movie to chronicle the life and legacy of Michael Jackson. However, it may be the most ambitious. Though we don’t know specific details, according to Entertainment Weekly, the film is said to follow “both Jackson’s triumphs and tragedies as it examines both his personal struggles and his most iconic performances.”

The family is involved in the project, which has us wondering how far into the artist’s various controversies the story will delve. However, before we can even begin to wonder about the script, the first question is who will bring the legend to life?

Who’s Playing Michael?

After a worldwide search, it was announced in January 2023 that the King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar Jackson would take on the titular role. He is the second-youngest son of Jermaine Jackson, which presumably gives him a unique insight into his uncle’s life.

Everyone involved in the production has had nothing but praise for Jaafar’s preparation, so we’ll reserve judgment until we see some actual footage. Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out the convenient coincidence that the best person for the role also happens to be a member of the extremely private and protective family.

In a piece of perfect casting, 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi will play young Michael. He’s been showing off his spot-on MJ dance moves on Instagram for years, so it seems like a natural fit to have him portray the star in the early days of his career.

Joe and Katherine

Oscar nominee Colman Domingo will take on the complex role of Michael’s father, Joe Jackson. The family patriarch was the mastermind behind his sons’ success, but it all came with a heavy price. Based on his work in “Rustin,” “Euphoria” and “The Color Purple,” we know he has the emotional range to bring all the complicated parts of this character to the screen in a fascinating performance.

Once we heard about Domingo, we were on the edge of our seats waiting to hear who would play Michael’s mother, Katherine Jackson. We’ve all associated Angela Bassett with the role since her unforgettable portrayal in “The Jacksons: An American Dream,” so we knew whoever joined the film would have big shoes to fill. It appears we had nothing to worry about, as Variety is reporting that Nia Long is set to play the heart and soul of the family.

This is such fantastic news. Long carries a popularity and familiarity into every role that makes it more important. We’ve literally grown up with her, so she feels like she’s part of the family. Considering how protective Black people are of Michael and his legacy, fans can relax now, because we know Nia will take care of Katherine.

“Katherine Jackson is an incredible pillar of strength and grace for the entire Jackson family,” Long said. “As a mother, she was selfless and endured forces beyond her control yet still managed to help build a legacy beyond measure.”

Who WIll Play Janet?

Let’s be honest: The only other major casting news we’re waiting for is who will play Janet? This isn’t a knock against the other Jackson family siblings, it’s just obvious that everyone will have opinions on who embodies the icon. While the entertainment industry is full of talented actress/singers who can take on the role, it seems very clear that Halle Bailey should be the top choice.

During Halloween, “The Little Mermaid” star posted photos of herself and boyfriend DDG as Janet and Tupac in “Poetic Justice” and it was just too perfect. If Halle is too busy being a new mom, perhaps her sister Chloe is available, because she would also make a captivating Janet.

We’re also wondering if Michael’s daughter Paris Jackson, who has appeared in “Swarm” and “American Horror Stories,” will be in the movie. The film is already in production, so we’ll probably hear more casting news in the next few weeks.