The 9-year-old has been dancing to the “King of Pop’s” songs for years.
After an intensive search, it is clear who will play the young “King of Pop” in the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael”. Alongside Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, who will portray the older version of the singer, will be 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi. The film is scheduled to be released on April 18, 2025 via Lionsgate.
“I’ve been dancing to his songs for years”
The young actor shows himself thrilled with the cast and explains: “This opportunity is really important to me because Michael Jackson is the King of Pop and he is very special in my heart. I’ve been dancing to his songs for five years now. He makes me feel very special and makes me feel good. I love the energy of Michael Jackson.”
Dance video from Valdi on his Instagram profile:
Valdi will portray the iconic musician at a young age and embody him during the early days of the Jackson 5. Finding someone for this role was anything but easy, says director Antoine Fuqua in one statement. There he also explains why he is very happy with the final choice: “If anything, casting the role of young Michael was more difficult than that of the adult, because where do you find a child actor with the skills of the greatest entertainer who ever lived ? Ultimately, we focused on talent and searched far and wide for an actor who could embody Michael’s spirit through his voice, charisma and dancing skills. Juliano’s undeniable, raw talent propelled him to the top of our list.”
Is everything really illuminated?
The biopic will shed light on all aspects of the exceptional artist and his life, explained Lionsgate. It is still unclear whether the controversies and allegations of abuse will also be addressed, as people who defended Jackson in this matter are also working on the work.