Jaafar Jackson portrays Michael in new biopic, premiere divides reviews

Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's nephew, stars as Michael Jackson in a new biopic that premiered in Los Angeles. Several high-profile family members, including Janet Jackson and Paris Jackson, did not attend the Los Angeles premiere. Critics are split, praising Jaafar Jackson's immersive performance while faulting the film's uneven narrative and its handling of Michael's controversies. The gap between performance acclaim and storytelling criticism could affect the film's box office momentum and awards season attention as it opens wider.