{"rewrite":{"id":"r_f9b3ad8274f081e69bd9c4de","clusterId":"c_4e5f7cd55d0b972d6baf304d","slug":"jaafar-jackson-says-he-rehearsed-until-his-feet-bled-for-michael-jackson-biopic","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Jaafar Jackson Says He Rehearsed Until His Feet Bled for Michael Jackson Biopic","summary":"A special video titled 'Becoming Michael' has been released for the biographical film 'Michael', which opens in Japan on June 12. The video shows lead actor Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's real-life nephew, discussing the grueling preparation for the role. Jackson said he rehearsed for hours until his feet bled and went numb, and that every morning he had to remind himself that Michael would not take a day off. The video also includes comments from director Antoine Fuqua and producer Graham King. Fuqua praised Jackson's attention to detail, saying Michael's dance moves are not easy to imitate. The film had advance IMAX screenings in 62 Japanese theaters starting June 5, with 278 limited screenings over three days. Many screenings sold out, especially in urban areas. The film earned 103,825,600 yen over the weekend, with 24 sold-out screenings. Worldwide, the film has reached $890 million in cumulative box office as of June 8. The film depicts Michael Jackson's early career, including his relationship with his father and the creation of his iconic songs.","whyItMatters":"The video shifts the marketing narrative from the film's box office success to the physical commitment of its lead, framing the biopic as a performance-driven project rather than a spectacle.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe special video, titled \"Becoming Michael,\" includes comments from director Antoine Fuqua, producer Graham King, and choreographers Rich + Tone. Rich + Tone performed as a dancer on Michael Jackson's \"HIStory World Tour\" and served as choreographer for the film. Fuqua, known for \"Training Day\" and \"The Equalizer\" series, praised Jackson's attention to detail. King, who produced \"Bohemian Rhapsody,\" said the production discussed \"many times whether Jaafar could recreate the world's most famous moves.\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJackson is the son of Michael's brother Jermaine Jackson. In the video, he says, \"I knew playing Michael Jackson would be a challenge. I love challenges. I wanted to prove to myself, my family, and the directors that I could do it.\" He also describes looking in the mirror before stepping on stage: \"There's no turning back now. Give them the best show.\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe film's final visual has also been released. It shows Jackson as Michael in the red jacket from \"Beat It.\" The cast includes Juliano Valdi as young Michael, Coleman Domingo as father Joseph, Nia Long as mother Katherine, Kendrick Sampson as music producer Quincy Jones, and Miles Teller as lawyer John Branca. The film opens in Japan on June 12. It will begin streaming overseas on June 9.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Jaafar Jackson's rehearsal injuries mirror a known cost of Michael Jackson's craft. The biopic's sold-out IMAX screenings in Japan suggest audience trust in that level of commitment.","twitterPost":"Jaafar Jackson rehearsed until his feet bled. The sold-out IMAX screenings in Japan suggest audiences trust that level of sacrifice.","threadsPost":"Jaafar Jackson rehearsed until his feet bled and went numb. That level of physical sacrifice is exactly what the role demands, and the sold-out IMAX screenings in Japan suggest audiences recognize it. The film's $890 million global gross so far shows the appetite is real.","newsletterBlurb":"A new 'Becoming Michael' video shows Jaafar Jackson describing the physical toll of playing his uncle, including rehearsing until his feet bled. The biopic opens June 12 in Japan after advance IMAX screenings sold out in major cities. Worldwide box office has reached $890 million.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Eiga Natalie\",\"url\":\"https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/675386\",\"title\":\"Days of Becoming Michael Jackson: Nephew Jafaar Talks About the Grueling Rehearsals for 'Michael'\"},{\"source\":\"Cinema Today\",\"url\":\"https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0155211\",\"title\":\"Special video for 'Michael' released: What was the resolve to play Michael Jackson until bleeding from the feet and losing sensation?\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":9481,"outputTokens":1177,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1781003469,"createdAt":"2026-06-09T11:02:48.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-06-09T11:07:07.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-09T11:07:07.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_4e5f7cd55d0b972d6baf304d","canonicalTitle":"『Michael／マイケル』特別映像公開　足から出血し感覚がなくなるまで…マイケル役への覚悟とは？","representativeArticleId":"a_e69194bfd9c7884f5b48d309","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Michael\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"Jaafar Jackson\"],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"music\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-06-09T08:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-06-09T08:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-09T11:07:07.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Eiga Natalie","url":"https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/675386","title":"マイケル・ジャクソンになるための日々、甥ジャファーが「Michael／マイケル」の壮絶なリハ語る"},{"source":"Cinema Today","url":"https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0155211","title":"『Michael／マイケル』特別映像公開　足から出血し感覚がなくなるまで…マイケル役への覚悟とは？"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Michael"],"studios":[],"people":["Jaafar Jackson"],"type":"news","domain":"music","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Jaafar Jackson rehearsed for hours until his feet bled and went numb for the Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael'.","The special video 'Becoming Michael' was released for the film, which opens in Japan on June 12.","Director Antoine Fuqua praised Jackson's attention to detail, saying Michael's dance moves are not easy to imitate.","The film earned 103,825,600 yen over the weekend in Japan, with 24 sold-out screenings.","Worldwide, the film has reached $890 million in cumulative box office as of June 8."]}