“It was difficult to maintain and keep composure because I really just wanted to give him a hug in that moment,” says Prince Jackson, who served as an executive producer for the new biopic “Michael.”

Michael Jackson’s son Prince felt ‘emotional shock’ seeing cousin Jaafar as his father for first time for biopic

"It was difficult to maintain and keep composure because I really just wanted to give him a hug in that moment," says Prince Jackson, who served as an executive producer for the new biopic "Michael."

By Marina Watts

Marina Watts

Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

EW's editorial guidelines

April 24, 2026 12:41 p.m. ET

Jaafar Jackson and Prince Jackson. Credit:

Kevin Mazur/Getty

- Michael Jackson's son Prince opened up about seeing his cousin Jaafar in hair and makeup as his father for the first time for the new biopic *Michael*.

- Prince, who serves as an executive producer on the film, hopes fans feel nostalgic for Michael while watching it, and that it contextualizes his rise to fame.

- *Michael *is out now in theaters.

Michael Jackson's son Prince Jackson was very moved seeing his cousin portray his father for the new biopic about the King of Pop.

Prince, who served as an executive producer for *Michael*, revealed how he reacted the first time he saw Jaafar Jackson transformed into his famous dad in an interview with ABC News on Thursday.

Jaafar and Prince are related through their fathers, Jermaine and the late Michael Jackson, and Prince said one of the "greatest experiences" of his life was growing up with Jaafar. "Making home movies to now — here we are, making a major motion picture about my father, his uncle, someone we both love very much," he marveled in the interview.

"I had the benefit of seeing Jaafar's transformation over pictures I'd seen on a phone or a computer," he said. "But the first time that I saw him in person in his hair and makeup was, really, an emotional shock."**

Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael'.

"I had not seen my father in a long time," he continued. "Jaafar just embodied him, and brought him back in that moment. It was difficult to maintain and keep composure because I really just wanted to give him a hug in that moment. But I had to tell him, 'Jaafar, I'm proud of you. You're going to do great. But I need to take a little step outside and get some air.'"

Prince also spoke about how his family reacted to the biopic, which depicts his father's career starting with the Jackson 5 and his eventual rise to worldwide fame as a solo artist. "I think it's been overwhelmingly positive," he said, noting that during production a lot of his cousins and other family members visited the set.**

"From the beginning, as family … we were every bit confident that Jaafar would perform," he said. "I'm happy to say that I think Jaafar greatly exceeded our expectations."

Prince added that he was "blown away" by his cousin's portrayal of the pop icon.

What critics are saying about 'Michael,' the controversial biopic starring the King of Pop's nephew

When does 'Michael' come out? All about the Michael Jackson biopic (and its controversies)

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Prince Jackson on April 20, 2026.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Elsewhere in the interview, Prince expressed his goal of rekindling old fans' love of the King of Pop. "I think one of the most magical things about this film is for those of us who were lucky enough to grow up with the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons, hopefully it will re-instigate that feeling of nostalgia, fun, and family. I hope that it contextualizes the growth and the rise to stardom, and the hard work and effort that my father put into it."

He added that he wants to show audiences an "entertaining time for children of all ages. From 9 to 90!"

*Michael *is now in theaters.

- Biopic Movies

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Biopic”