Who Was Michael Jackson’s Father Joe Jackson? Colman Domingo Cast To Play King Of Pop’s Dad In Upcoming Biopic

Colman Domingo, who has recently received his first Oscar nomination, has been selected to play the role of Joe Jackson, the father of Michael Jackson, in the upcoming biopic ‘Michael’ directed by Antoine Fuqua.

The announcement of the casting follows the news that Jaafar, the real-life nephew of Jackson, will play the role of the King of Pop, while 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi is set to portray the singer during his early years.

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Who is Joe Jackson?

Joseph Walter Jackson was born in Fountain Hill, Arkansas. He learned the importance of hard work from an early age. In the 1950s, he formed a band where he played guitar. In the early 1960s, he worked two jobs to support his six sons and three daughters. He rehearsed his five eldest sons and entered them in talent contests. In the mid-1960s, he booked the Jackson 5 for gigs across the Eastern United States, performing with acts such as Gladys Knight & The Pips.

After his boys won all the talent contests, including Harlem’s Apollo Theater, he signed the Jackson 5 to their first record deal, with Steeltown Records. In 1969, he drove the Jackson 5 to their secret audition at Motown, in Detroit. Jackson then relocated his family to California and supervised the Jackson 5 recording sessions. After their first single, I Want You Back, hit #1, their first four singles sold 10 million copies in 10 months, setting a world record for sales.

After financing the recording of his daughter Janet Jackson’s first demo, he signed her to A&M Records. Later on, A&M Records released her first hit albums Control and Rhythm Nation, which were produced in collaboration with his production company. Additionally, he helped his daughter La Toya Jackson record her first album at Private I Records and assisted Rebbie Jackson to get signed with Michael’s label, MJJ. 

Jackson was named the Best Entertainment Manager of All Time by Cleveland Mayor Jane L. Campbell in 2002. He co-produced Destination Fame (2012) and co-created a family comedy, Blended, about a young interracial couple and their blended families.

In July 2015, Jackson was rushed into hospital after suffering a stroke and heart arrhythmia while celebrating his birthday in Brazil. The stroke reportedly left him temporarily blind. On June 23, 2018, it was reported that he was hospitalized in Las Vegas in the final stages of terminal pancreatic cancer. He died of the disease on June 27 at the age of 89.

Colman Domingo is set to play Joe Jackson in the upcoming biopic, Michael

Domingo Domingo, a best actor nominee for his role as civil rights leader Bayard Rustin in George C. Wolfe’s Rustin, has been also nominated for Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice, and SAG awards. Following his Oscar nomination, Domingo has been cast as Joe Jackson, the father of Michael Jackson, in the upcoming biopic Michael which will be directed by Antoine Fuqua. 

“It’s exciting to do it with Jaafar,” Domingo told Variety exclusively during an upcoming episode of the Awards Circuit Podcast. “Jermaine Jackson’s son is playing Michael, and he is breathtaking, and I think Graham King, the producer, has assembled an incredible cast.”

The Rustin star continued, “I’m excited to be a part of a film that explores both the complicated soul of the legendary Michael Jackson as well as his impact on music and culture as a global icon. 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.”

Domingo’s role as the talent manager for the Jackson 5 film, a complex figure in the Michael Jackson legacy, will generate excitement surrounding the film. Production for the film began on Monday, Jan. 22, which was shared via Jaafar’s Instagram page with two behind-the-scenes images of the actor in costume as the pop icon in his signature hat. Michael is scheduled to hit theaters on April 18, 2025.

The biopic is produced by Graham King and the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain. Lionsgate is distributing the film domestically, while Universal Pictures International will handle all territories apart from Japan, which Lionsgate will oversee.

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