Michael Jackson’s nephew fires back at critics of upcoming biopic
The biopic has already sparked debate over what parts of his life are included
Taj Jackson has pushed back against critics of the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael, arguing that public audiences, not the media, should determine how the late pop icon’s story is received.
Taking to X, Taj Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, criticized early commentary surrounding the film, saying media outlets no longer “get to control the narrative” about his uncle’s legacy.
“Sorry media, u don’t get to control the narrative anymore of who Michael Jackson truly was,” he wrote.
“The public gets to watch this movie, they will decide for themselves. And you can’t handle that.”
In a follow-up post, he added, “Can’t wait till some critics have to eat crow. And yes I will be that petty.”
The comments come just days before the release of Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in his feature film debut as the King of Pop.
The biopic also features Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson. It is produced with the approval and backing of the late singer’s estate.
Despite anticipation surrounding the project, the film has already faced mixed-to-negative early reactions, holding a 36% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of publication.
Michael traces Jackson’s rise from his early days with the Jackson 5 through his solo breakthrough era, ending around the period of his Bad tour in the late 1980s.
The creative decision to stop the narrative at that point has sparked criticism, with some commentators noting the film does not address the child sexual abuse allegations made against Jackson prior to his death in 2009.