Prince Jackson, son of the late pop music superstar Michael Jackson, spoke with ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis in an exclusive interview discussing the new biopic about his father, Michael.
The 29-year-old was an executive producer on the film, which was directed by Antoine Fuqua — known for Training Day and The Equalizer. The biopic, which arrived in theaters on Friday, covers Michael Jackson’s 1960s rise from his childhood music group The Jackson 5 to his solo career during the Bad tour in the late 1980s.
Prince Jackson said the movie was meant to show audiences a side of his father, who is played by Prince Jackson’s cousin Jafaar Jackson in the movie, that they may not have seen before.
“For those of us, like myself and younger, that never got to experience that [part Michael Jackson’s career], I hope that it contextualizes the growth and the rise to stardom and the hard work and effort that my father put into it,” Prince Jackson told Davis.
Prince Jackson and Jafaar Jackson, the son of Michael Jackson’s brother Jermaine Jackson, spent time together as children at Hayvenhurst — the California home of their grandfather Joe Jackson.
“One of the greatest experiences of my life — growing up with Jafaar as we did at Hayvenhurst as siblings, as cousins, making home movies to now here we are making a major motion picture about my father, his uncle — someone we both love very much,” Prince Jackson said.
The music legend’s son said he was surprised by how much it struck him to see Jafaar Jackson in costume as his father.
“[It] was really an emotional shock because I had not seen my father in a long time,” Prince Jackson told Davis. “And 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 like, ‘Jafaar, I’m proud of you. You’re gonna do great. But I need to take a little step outside and get some air.'”
Some critics have reported that the film was “sanitized” and did not dive deeper into controversies that followed Michael Jackson later in his life.
“I think that my father is probably one of the most misunderstood people out there,” Prince Jackson said. “And I hope that you get a glimpse into the life and the cause and effect that made him who he was.”
Prince Jackson also talked about his nonprofit, Heal Los Angeles Foundation. He noted how his father’s example sparked the decision to bring some families his nonprofit served to the LA premiere of Michael to give them a glimpse of the red carpet and the opportunity to meet cast members and celebrities.
“[Michael Jackson] still made time to give back and used his platform to highlight social needs,” Prince Jackson said. “And that’s where we take inspiration at the Heal Los Angeles Foundation … we want to inspire young people to be their best and to give them the tools that they need to succeed.”
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