Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo has signed on to play Jackson family patriarch, Joe Jackson, in Lionsgate’s upcoming Michael Jackson biopic.
Domingo will star alongside the King of Pop’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, who has been cast in the title role.
“Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation. After seeing him in rehearsal, my mind was blown,” Domingo said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
“There is something divine about the way that Jaafar is channeling his late uncle. His talent and embodiment of Michael’s essence is simply on another level,” he added.
Related Story: Colman Domingo Says ‘Extraordinary’ Oscar Nomination Follows 33 Years of Putting in Work
Joe Jackson, who managed his children to become international music stars, was known for being relentless and forced them to endure grueling practice sessions.
After the Jackson 5 signed with Motown Records in 1969, Joe took his family from poverty in Gary, Indiana to riches. The group was made up of his five boys – Michael, Jermaine, Marlon, Tito and Jackie.
Joe Jackson died in 2018 at age 89.
As for Colman Domingo, he’s currently on a hot streak in Hollywood.
His performance as Civil Rights pioneer Bayard Rustin in the Netflix film Rustin earned him multiple award nominations.
Earlier this week, he received a best actor Oscar nod for the role. He also has a key role in The Color Purple as Celie’s abusive husband, Mister. This morning Domingo received multiple NAACP Image Awards nominations, including “entertainer of the year.”
The Michael Jackson biopic titled Michael will be directed by Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer 3 and Training Day), who got his start helming music videos.
Lionsgate has said the film will address all aspects of the late music legend’s life. Although the biopic has the blessing of the Michael Jackson estate, so it’s unclear if the film will address the abuse allegations against the singer.
